An unusual sight at the cathedral yesterday: not Hell’s Angels crashing the Octave, but everyday bikers receiving a special blessing – for themselves and their machines.
The initiative aims to open the Church up to new communities. Father Jean Ehret, priest and director of the Luxembourg School for Religion and Society, described it as a form of preventative outreach. The latest official figures from 2023 show that five motorcyclists lost their lives on Luxembourg’s roads, while 105 were seriously injured, a figure that has more than doubled since 2020.
A passionate biker himself, Father Ehret launched the event this year and was pleased by the number of riders who showed up at the cathedral – somewhat to the astonishment of the faithful.
“I think the first thing to recognise is that bikers are people too”, he said in conversation with RTL. Ehret added that “they’re united by a shared passion. After all, what do people do when they come to the Octave? Whether they ride motorbikes or not, they all come as pilgrims. They bring their worries, their pain, and their concerns, and they do it within the community they feel part of”, he explained.
Father Ehret himself rolled into the city on his Ducati and conducted the service in full biker gear. While Christian motorbike clubs do exist, the biking community, he noted, stretches far beyond club membership. Bikers greet one another on the road, they talk to strangers, and they find connection through their shared love of riding.
He emphasised that traffic safety is a concern for everyone – but why bring this into the Octave? He explained that “the Octave is the time when traditionally all the parishes and organisations made their pilgrimage”, adding that “today, we’re simply including new communities”. With this initiative, he hopes to help the Octave grow into something more inclusive, while celebrating the solidarity that exists among bikers.
