Event Details
Corpus Christi 2027: Flower Carpets in Baden Württemberg
On Thursday, 27 May 2027, the Catholic Church celebrates Corpus Christi, one of the oldest and most colorful feast days of the church year. In many villages across Baden Württemberg, especially in the Black Forest and around Lake Constance, residents spend the early morning hours creating elaborate flower carpets on the streets, over which the solemn procession with the Blessed Sacrament later passes.
Highlights
- Hüfingen (Schwarzwald Baar Kreis): a flower carpet around 500 meters long, a tradition since 1842
- Mühlenbach (Ortenaukreis): a carpet roughly one kilometer long plus four elaborately decorated flower altars
- Sipplingen on Lake Constance: a carpet up to 600 meters long made from thousands of petals, a tradition since the 1930s
- Glottertal: a procession featuring a Madonna figure carried in traditional Black Forest costume alongside several flower carpets
- Other notable villages: St. Peter and Bad Peterstal Griesbach in the Black Forest
Schedule
In most villages, preparations begin days ahead: volunteers gather petals and grasses from meadows and fields. On the night before or in the early hours of the feast day, often starting around 4:00 AM, the carpets are laid out, sometimes forming motifs such as chalices or religious symbols. After the morning church service, the procession, accompanied by music, folk costume associations and sometimes ceremonial salutes, moves over the carpet to several station altars. The flower carpets usually remain on display until late afternoon.
Tickets
Attending the Corpus Christi celebrations and viewing the flower carpets is free everywhere. These are public church and village events with no admission fee.
Visitor Tips
- Arrive early (before 8:00 AM) to see the freshly laid carpets before the procession begins.
- Do not step on the carpet itself; it may only be crossed by the priest carrying the monstrance.
- Parking is limited in small villages like Hüfingen or Mühlenbach; arriving early by car or public transport is worthwhile.
- Photography is welcome, ideally in the early morning light.
- If you plan to visit several villages, check the different procession times in advance, as they vary from village to village.
