Keeping the rich folk traditions and wearing of folk costumes is inherently linked with religious belief. Religious ceremonies and celebrations strengthened the existence of these traditions for centuries and the changes since 1989 have contributed to a partial restoration.
Ceremonial procession carried out on May on the feast of Corpus Christi, thus found its place in annual customes cycle. It starts with famous mass, is followed by parade with canopy, where the white bridesmaids carry baskets with fl owers, men carry banners. A parade stops at four altars and in front of each a part of one of the four gospels is read. In the whole Slovácko, this procession catches attention mainly with unique variety of folk costumes weared by single people. Especially the girls of Podluží wear beautiful decorated, hand-embroidered ceremonial scarves, fastened over the headgear.
Religious pilgrimages have still an important place in the Catholic calendar, for the faithful people of Slovácko.
One original place of pilgrimage you can fi nd in Podluží, in the village Týnec. Since 1680, procession goes for a prayer in the feast of Beheading of St. John the Baptist (29 August) to the local church to the miraculous picture of the Virgin Mary. At the time of greatest glory at the end of the 19th century, the village was visited by up to ten thousand pilgrims in their folk costumes and band of single visits this pilgrimage (now inseparably linked with the local feast) in folk costumes till now. Massive oak in th end of the village enjoys respect and its age is estimated at 400 years. On the tree there is placed the picture of the Virgin Mary from 1859. Since the end of the 19th century small chapelle decorated with Podluží ´s ornaments stands under the tree and was built in 1891 by Simon and František Kučera. The village chapelle is being cared of by descendants of families and other faithfuls. And passers perform short worships at the mentioned chapelle.
Village Mikulčice has then newer tradition (since 1990) and has the second place of pilgrimage in the region. Pilgrimage to honor the Moravian Missionaries of St. Cyril and Methodius is held on the day of their holiday - 5 July, in the premises of Slavonic settlement. The glory of this pilgrimage is a folk costume band of young people, sometimes around hundred of participants, each year the leading team of pilgrimages is from differnt village of Podluží.
