Many pilgrims travel to this 12th-century church to see a relic of the blood of Christ, which has been preserved for over 2,000 years.
Heilige Bloed Basiliek, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, is one of only a small number of places in the world that claim to have artefacts containing the blood of Jesus Christ. See one of these relics on display in the church museum. Worshippers and visitors are welcome to attend daily mass.
Within the basilica museum are a number of other artefacts as well as historical information about the relic. See engraved oak medallions depicting the life of Christ and paintings that show the 32 members of the Noble Brotherhood of the Holy Blood. Look for the gold bejewelled shrine and the tapestry that shows how the relics were moved from Africa to Sardinia.
Learn about the many theories of the relic's origin, which add to its reverence and mystery. One account is that after the second crusade in the mid-12th century, Count Derrick of Flanders was given the Relic of the Holy Blood from his brother-in-law, the King of Jerusalem. Afterwards, to preserve the relic and keep it on display, Derrick built a chapel in Bruges. Another belief is that the relic came to Bruges in the mid-1200s from Constantinople.
The springtime Ascension Day festival is one of the biggest celebrations of the Relic of the Holy Blood. More than 50,000 people from all over the world come to the church to observe the devotional procession and the priests who carry a 30-kilogram (65-pound) jewel-encased, golden shrine that contains the relic. The day's events are celebrated with more than 1,800 performers and a reenactment of the relic coming to Bruges. Every five years the play, Jeu du Saint Sang or Play of the Holy Blood, is performed.
Heilige Bloed Basiliek welcomes all visitors. The late-morning mass is held every day, with the exception of Thursdays in winter. If you are a priest or a member of a choir, contact the church in advance to request participating in the service. There is a small fee to enter the museum. The basilica is located 200 metres (600 feet) east of Grote Markt on Burg square. Arrive on foot or by bike.
