Dutch procession

Procession in Volendam, the Netherlands

A Dutch painting from 1900 by Nico Jungmann depicting a candle procession in the village Volendam after a pilgrimage to the Marian shrine of Kevelaer in Germany.

Volendam is a popular tourist destination not far from Amsterdam, known for its picturesque houses and the traditional costume still worn by some locals.

Less known is the fact that Volendam is traditionally very Catholic in an otherwise Protestant region. The people of Volendam have always had a stubborn nature and refused to accept Protestantism after the Reformation. Off and on Protestantism did have some influence on the town’s religious life but this never lasted long. In a 1949 census 98.1 percent of the population called themselves Catholic.

Volendam’s loyalty to the Catholic faith goes hand in hand with devotion to Mary. It has since long been a tradition to make pilgrimages to Kevelaer. One of the town’s parish churches is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and all ships leaving and entering the harbour of Volendam are greeted by a statue of Mary. Not only does she protect the people of the town, she also watches over those who sail the waters.

Protection