The traditional Academic Procession from University hall to St Peter's Church.
The opening ceremony and mass at St Peter's Church.
Some Chinese students went up during the communion to receive the bread and wine, though they were clearly not catholics! I afterwards discussed with Wen wheater they were disrespectful and did it out fun and/or an act of ignorance. The priests asked them if they were baptised and gave them a blessing instead.
An amazing fact about the University and an insight to the tensions between the Flemish and French speaking groups in Belgium is the fact that the university was actually once split up!
Wikipedia
Until 1968, there was only one University of Leuven, where both Dutch language and French language (although mostly French) were used. After repeated protests from Flemish organisations and student population, however, the University was split. The Dutch University of Leuven remained in the city of Leuven, while the French speaking Université Catholique de Louvain moved to the newly built campus of Louvain-la-Neuve, south of the linguistic border dividing Belgium. The main library, with all its old documents was split at that moment also. Documents and books with an odd registration number stayed in Leuven, the even-numbered ones moved to Louvain-la-Neuve.
A charicature of the Academic Procession reflecting the tensions before the split of the university. It was shown to us during the introduction speach for the exchange students.
7 comments:
Man blir lite avundsjuk när man läser om dina europeiska äventyr. Så vi sticker till Marmaris. Planet lyfter den 14/10 och vi kommer inte tillbaka förrän den 28/10.
Så du är välkommen till Umeå i början av november - efter tentamen.
/Stefan
Jag hoppas verkligen att ni får en skön och välförtjänt semester! Hoppas vi ses senare i höst. Det gick inte riktigt att få ihop det sist.
Jag har faktiskt varit i Leuven-la-neuve, visste du det? Vid universitet dar finns ett utmarkt litet mikrobryggeri som jag rader dig att testa, kommer inte ihag namnet exakt men jag vet att de hade en symbol som var ett troll, de kanske hette Troll helt enkelt. :P
E.
I stumbled upon your blog while procrastinating hard, avoiding my huge assignment that is due today... heh
I dig your blog!
Hope you don't mind me reading it..
:)
Tina
To Edward:
Cool. Guess you've been to Leuven as well then? Did you sit on the Oude Markt sipping a Duvel? Not to be missed.
Tina:
Hi! I read you had finnished you assignment! NZ should be a fun place?
Ja, it is! It's great fun, and the people here are very friendly and curious. And the bonus is that I get to travel a lot while I'm studying here, going home every Xmas and stopping over in the places between here and home. :D I have huge plans...
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