Celebratory Georgiritt in the Thomatal after a forced break
Culture
After a two-year break, the Georgiritt found its way back to Thomatal (Lungau) on Sunday. The organizers also celebrated the 50th anniversary. The horse pilgrimage in honor of St. George takes place around April 23rd – again today with numerous groups of riders from all over the Lungau.
What started in 1970 with just five riders is now one of the biggest holidays in Thomatal. The joy of the riders to be able to present themselves again after a two-year break and to parade through the village with their festively decorated steeds could not be overlooked on Sunday. “That fits very well, that’s our church patron and our day is good that this is recognized accordingly,” said Pastor Manfred Thaler happily.
Thomatal parish church is dedicated to Saint George
The parish church in Thomatal is also dedicated to Saint George – in his honor there is every year the Georgiritt and actually also the Sauhaxn sacrifice: a custom that has since died out a bit. The pig as a bristly animal was a symbolic animal for winter. “They sacrificed his knuckles so that he couldn’t go any further and the winter couldn’t last any longer,” explained Mesner Leonhard Gautsch.
Wintry April weather at the Georgiritt
It was wintry fresh at the Georgiritt in Thomatal – but that didn’t really bother man or animal: “I’m here today with my very special horse – Lenka is eight years old and I got her as a wedding present, with board and lodging with mine Brother and she is a real beauty,” said Franz Lanschützer from the rider group from Ermannsdorf-Schloss Moosham.
Blessings for riders and horses
At the Georgiritt, riders and horses also receive the blessing of the church. “The blessing from the pastor in the spring is important to the riders. In the last few years, when we couldn’t do the ride, they often said that they wanted to come to Thomatal and want the blessing of the pastor because it’s so important to them,” says organizer Harald Bliem.