H.S.H. Vitéz Prince Philipp Ernst zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg Staff Captain of the German Region of the Order of Vitéz, hereby cordially invites you to participate in the annual meeting of the Order of Vitéz in Germany, in the tradition of the Hungarian pilgrimages to Aachen from October 11 to October 12, 2025.
Hungarian pilgrims have a centuries-old connection to Aachen Cathedral and the Aachen pilgrimage, where important relics are venerated. Hungarian pilgrimages to Aachen have been taking place for almost 700 years. In the Middle Ages, Aachen was the third most important pilgrimage destination in Europe after Rome and Santiago de Compostela.
Many of the Roman-German kings were crowned in Aachen, including Otto the Great and his successors Otto II and Otto III, as well as later Frederick Barbarossa and finally Charles V in 1520. The coronation ceremonies took place mainly in St. Mary’s Church (today’s Aachen Cathedral), as it was considered the seat of Charlemagne and the tradition of coronations was established here. The last coronation took place in 1531 with Ferdinand I. The tradition of pilgrimages to Aachen is closely linked to the veneration of the relics that Charlemagne donated to the cathedral.
The Hungarian Chapel in the cathedral was built for the many Hungarian pilgrims, a sign of their close connection to the Aachen pilgrimage.
The four great Aachen shrines are venerated: Mary’s dress, Jesus’ swaddling clothes, Jesus’ loincloth, and John the Baptist’s execution cloth. They are kept in the Shrine of Mary, located in the Gothic choir hall of Aachen Cathedral.
Recommended hotels: INNSiDE by Meliá Aachen, Sandkaulstraße 20, 52062 Aachen; Mercure Hotel Aachen Am Dom, Peterstr.1, 52062 Aachen.
Dress code: Bocskai, tuxedo, dark suit.
Costs: The costs for the tours will be communicated after binding registration.
Lunch and gala dinner (both à la carte), as well as hotel and travel expenses are to be covered by the participants themselves.
(The program is subject to change at the request of the staff captain.)
Registrations must be submitted by September 21, 2025. For registration and further information, please contact us by email: philipp-ernst.hohenlohe@vitezi-rend.com
Program
Saturday, October 11, 2025
12:00 p.m.
Lunch at the Brauhaus in Aachen
01:30 p.m.
Honor and wreath laying at the monument of the national saint Stephen I, King of Hungary from the Árpád dynasty
02:00 p.m.
|Guided tour of the more than 1200-year-old St. Mary’s Cathedral in Aachen, the bishop’s church of the Diocese of Aachen, and the cathedral treasury
04:00 p.m.
Holy Mass in the Hungarian Chapel of Aachen Cathedral
07:00 p.m.
Gala dinner (roof floor of the INNSiDE by Meliá Aachen hotel)
Sunday, Oktober 12, 2025
10:30 a.m.
Guided tour of Aachen’s historic town hall, built in 1350 (1.5 hours)
