It is Half Lent and that is why on Sunday afternoon in Sittard, after a break of two years, thousands of buns were thrown out on the Kollenberg. A tradition that has been going on for hundreds of years.
A colorful procession moved from the center of Sittard towards the Kollenberg. Tractors, covered wagons, but especially many families walked along on foot.
Kollenberg
At 14:30 thousands of sandwiches were thrown down from the top of the mountain by, among others, the mayor of Sittard-Geleen. At the bottom or halfway up the steep hill, children and other interested parties tried to catch the sandwiches. “It is a tradition that I learned from home in the past,” says a visitor. “Now I’m here with my own young children. I think it’s nice to pass on this tradition because it’s just part of this city.”
biblical story
“Originally it is a Biblical story in which it is written that one day sandwiches will fall from heaven,” says Patrick Werdens, member of the organizing committee. “This tradition goes back about five hundred years and as you can see it is still very much alive. We have not been able to organize it for two years because of corona, so we are very happy that it is now allowed again,” says Werdens.
The organization will be 100 years old next year.
Also read: Centuries-old Sittard tradition on heritage list