The worst day in striped moustached life: the history of the Cat Festival in Belgium

If you are a cat, then it is best for you to go to the Belgian city of Ypres. They are very well treated with caudate-striped. Every three years, a folk parade in honor of the animal takes place in the city. But some traditions of this event, for example, throwing teddy cats from a high bell tower, hint that it was not always so.

Once upon a time, being a cat in Ypres was tantamount to death. Especially in the second week of Lent. Especially on Wednesday. This day was called "Cat's environment." Residents of the city collected all the cats in the area, put them in bags, and then threw them from the bell tower of St. Martin's Church.

Residents believed that cats are associated with an evil spirit and the more they destroy them, the more happiness will be in their lives.

Then the townspeople remembered that cats are not ordinary animals at all. They are closely connected with the other world, witches, sorcerers, magical rites. For example, St. Patrick, a very respected saint of the Anglo-Saxon world, expelled all cats from Ireland. The Holy Inquisition burned animals at the stake. That's because the Inquisitors thought that they were not cats, but reincarnated witches. Black was especially unlucky. There was a time in Europe when it was impossible to find a black cat. Roughly such thoughts roamed in the minds of poor Belgians.

Residents of Ypres have turned dropping cats from a height of seventy meters into a real show. The whole city was going to the square. If someone suspected his neighbor of feline sympathy, then church investigators would come to him after a while.

People had a lot to understand about the behavior of cats. They walk at night. But this is not the main thing, the worst thing is their eyes. They burn in the dark! Oh, that phosphorus. How many cat lives he ruined! The official persecution of cats began with the encyclical of Pope Gregory IX. In it, describing the rites of heretics, the holy father pointed out that the devil is in the form of a black cat.

St. Dominic saw the devil in the form of a cat

In the 14th century, the king of France, Philippe the Beautiful, destroyed the Knights Templar. Including because of cats. During interrogations, knights were forced to admit that they worshiped a mustachioe-striped.

Jews treated cats very well. And the cats paid for it kindly. The Jews safely survived the epidemic of the plague of the 14th century. Cats killed rats - carriers of infection. The Christians decided that the Jews specifically infected them with the plague, and staged large-scale pogroms.

Unlike Christians, Muslim cats were very fond and respected. According to legend, the prophet Muhammad had a favorite named Muizza. She loved to rest, laying on the clothes of her patron. When he needed to go to prayer, in order not to disturb the animal’s sleep, he cut off a piece of clothing occupied by her.

Of special respect for cats is the fact that this word in Arabic has 19 synonyms. And during prayer, they are allowed to enter the mosque.

The Cat Parade 1955

Today in Ypres is a festival dedicated to animals. The organizers do this to remind people how cruel they were to animals. The last cat, which was thrown from the tower in 1817, survived its fall and immediately ran away. He did not tempt fate. Residents of Ypres stopped throwing cats. The tradition revived in the thirties of the 20th century. But this time they threw plush animals instead of real ones.

In 1938, the "cat parade" was first held. It began with bicycle races, and ended with a clown procession to the bell tower of St. Martin. Ahead, the jester marched ahead, behind him - children with toy cats. At the end of the procession, to the music of a brass band and a firework, the buffoon rose to the bell tower and dropped plush cats from there.

Unfortunately, the Second World War has made adjustments. The holiday was postponed until 1946. In 1955, live artists dressed in feline costumes began to participate in the parade.

Today, a folklore festival gathers tens of thousands of cat lovers from around the world. People believe that a cat can bring happiness. You just need to catch her.