Happy Winter Solstice

Yesterday was the winter solstice marking the shortest daylight of the year.  By happenstance, we took a day trip to Salzburg, Austria to see the town and their Christmas market not realizing the significance of the date.  Fortunately for us, we got to participate in an old Austrian tradition -- the Perchten run.

What is the Perchten run? Perchten are creatures from pre-Christian times that blend pagan nature beliefs and old seasonal beliefs with Christian traditions.  The "run" is really a procession that symbolizes the driving out of winter and evil spirits while also heralding the coming of spring and the return of light.  Perchten runs are traditionally held on the 12 darkest nights of the year beginning with the winter solstice.

Perchten typically wear goat or sheep hides with bells attached that jangle with their movements.  Perchten masks are large and heavy, often weighing 30 pounds or more. These masks have rough facial features, sometimes resembling an animal, and will often have one or more pairs of horns. Another feature of Perchten runs are the appearance of witches who symbolically sweep away the snow with their brooms to make space for the arrival of spring.

We had no idea what our day was going to look like when we arrived in Salzburg.  In addition to the Christmas market and the Perchten run, Radio 3 was doing a live broadcast from one of the squares and hosting live music performances.  These events definitely contributed to the large crowds which made it challenging to see the Perchten up close.  Later in the day, we were doing a self-guided walking tour of the city and wandered into St. Peter's church five minutes before an organ concert. Yay!

We experienced all of this against a backdrop of overcast skies and temps that barely reached freezing.  If the Perchten were successful, Salzburgers will hopefully enjoy a mild winter.