Poor Clares
A SAUSAGE FOR THE SUN
Probably since the very first Brabantsedag, the Foundation faithfully brings a sausage to the Poor Clares 9 days before the parade day. A special tradition with the aim of having the Sisters pray to the weather gods so that the last Sunday of August may be another beautiful day. However, results from the past do not give any guarantees for the future....
Source: Geert 'WikiGeert' Hamers
The Poor Clares had Saint Clara (1194 - 1253) as their foundress. Clara means 'the radiant, the luminous'. "The reference to the sun is therefore obvious", tells Geert Hamers, former treasurer within the board of the Brabantsedag and blessed with an inexhaustible ready knowledge of the event.
Wikipedia describes the order of the clergy as a contemplative monastic order. Usually the term contemplation is used specifically for monastic orders that lead a contemplative or contemplative life, especially under a monastic rule such as the Rule of Benedict, which makes prayer, study and silence the heart of monastic life. The members of these orders do not leave their monastery or abbey (stabilitas loci) and adhere to a strict form of clausure. "Thus, the nuns never leave the monastery. There is only one nun who is allowed to maintain contact with the outside world. Up to the front door admittedly."
Especially in the southern Netherlands it is tradition to bring a (fresh) sausage to the Poor Clares. They then pray for 'good weather'. Unfortunately they give no guarantee. "It must also be a novena, so they must have the opportunity to pray for nine days. That's why the Brabantsedag has to stick strictly to the delivery on the Friday prior to the parade".
Belgium also knows the tradition, but they bring eggs there, which is probably already a correction to the vegetarian character of the order. "But for the Brabantsedag it really has to be a fresh butcher's sausage and an envelope with a financial contribution," says Geert.
"And yes, over the years the Poor Clares have moved regularly and several monasteries have probably been closed. I myself was allowed to deliver the sausage to the convent in Eindhoven in the nineties, but before that it was delivered to another convent. I suppose also in Someren and that the order has temporarily ceased to be housed there and now has a care home there again together with other orders".
How long the Brabantsedag has been giving substance to this tradition is not exactly known, but possibly since the very beginning. "In any case, as long as I have been on the board, the sausage has never been a point of discussion. That was part of it and had to be done. And again this year the sausage has been delivered neatly. Let the sun come.
See here a description of Clara and the tradition: http://bit.ly/1oXDxSN and look at www.clarissen.nl.
