More than 30,000 Fribourg residents celebrate the arrival of St. Nicholas
Published: Saturday, Dec 2nd 2023, 21:00
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More than 30,000 people celebrated the entry of St. Nicholas and his entourage in Fribourg on Saturday. In his address, which he gave from the terrace of the cathedral, Saint Nicolas, the patron saint of the city, delivered a message of peace.
With his donkey and his entourage, St. Nicholas, as usual, humorously addressed current events in the canton and in Switzerland and gave advice to the young and old people of Fribourg.
"My dear children, I am bubbling with joy to see you again," began St. Nicholas, Bishop of ancient Myra in what was then Asia Minor, as he addressed the crowd. "Your smiles and your faces light up this beautiful December night."
St. Nicholas began his 20-minute speech with a slight delay. He stepped onto the balcony of the cathedral bearing his name after being received by the Bishop of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg, Charles Morerod. For the first time, the procession and the speech were broadcast live by RTS television in French-speaking Switzerland and the Vaud and Fribourg regional television station La Télé.
The procession, which was led by St. Nicholas on the back of his faithful donkey, led from St. Michael's College to the cathedral and lasted an hour. Last year, the event made a comeback after a two-year absence following restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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