[168]. Ibi usque hodie divinâ operante misericordia signa et sanitates ad sancti viri et sacerdotis reliquias fieri non cessant.—Alcuin O.C., iii. p. 571.
[169]. Id. in Mabillon, iii. p. 575.
[170]. Id. ib. iii. p. 572.
[171]. Theofridus vita S. Willibrordi, c. 24 (sæc. xii.) This life of St. Willibrord is still unpublished; only a few fragments having appeared in Mon. Germ. Hist., t. xxiii. Script. The fact I mention is taken from M. Krier’s pamphlet, Die Springprocession, p. 33, from the MS. life.
[172]. M. G. xxiii. Script., Catalogus abbatum Epternacensium primus.
[173]. On the basilica of Echternach read a good notice by Prof. Namur inserted in t. xxii. of Annals of the Archæological Academy of Belgium; and another by M. Bock, in Rheinlands Baudenkmale des Mittelalters.
[174]. According to the Echternachter Anzeiger of June 5, the number of dancers was 10,600; of other pilgrims 1,800. This does not include 188 musicians, 72 priests, 1,100 chanters, and various corporations. There were, moreover, 14,000 or 15,000 spectators, making a total of about 30,000 people. Comparing these numbers with those of former years, we shall see that the ancient ceremony increases in importance and éclat. This conclusion is correct, as M. Krier’s statistics show, Die Springprocession, p. 148. Since the beginning of this century the number of dancers had not before reached 10,000.
[175]. I have given the two current opinions on the origin of the dancing procession. I share neither, and hope my different explanation clear by weight of proof.
[176]. Krier, Dancing Procession, p. 55. This author wrote his work first briefly in French, then in German with more details. The latter is a serious and interesting work as regards the ceremony. It is also an edifying appeal from a Christian priest to his brethren.
[177]. See The Catholic World for April.