Ida-Woche Herzfeld

Who was St. Ida of Herzfeld?

St. Ida (approx. 770–825) is considered one of the central saintly figures of early medieval Westphalia. She was the widow of the Saxon nobleman Egbert and founded a church and a charitable foundation in Herzfeld – the beginning of what later developed into the St. Ida pilgrimage. Ida's relics are venerated to this day in the St. Ida's Basilica Herzfeld; it has been a Papal Basilica minor since 1985. The annual Ida-Woche in early September is her liturgical and cultural memorial week.

What happens during Ida-Woche?

The week is a typical Westphalian mix of the sacred and the secular:

• Pontifical Mass to open the festivities in St. Ida's Basilica (September 6th, 2026)
• Pilgrimage services and devotions daily
• Local culture evenings: Low German readings, lectures on local history, concerts
• Marksmen's festival and anniversary part: In 2026, the postponed 155th anniversary of the St. Ida Herzfeld Marksmen's Brotherhood falls within the week (the celebration originally planned for 2021 for its 150th anniversary was postponed by five years due to Corona)
• Meet the King and Queen Claudius and Nadine Tappe, who won the crown in 2019 and are reigning unusually long due to the postponement

Herzfeld — the older district of Lippetal

Herzfeld is one of the districts of the municipality of Lippetal (incorporated during the 1975 administrative reform) and is located in the northernmost part of the Soest district, right on the border with Münsterland. The village has around 2,500 inhabitants and has been regionally known as a pilgrimage site of St. Ida since the Middle Ages. St. Ida's Basilica dominates the village's appearance – pilgrims from Münsterland, Sauerland, and beyond travel there in early September specifically for the Ida-Woche.

St. Ida Herzfeld Marksmen's Brotherhood since 1871

The St. Ida Marksmen's Brotherhood was founded in Herzfeld in 1871 and has been an integral part of local life ever since. It combines Catholic local patriotism (brotherhood ideal, participation in pilgrimages) with classic marksmen's tradition (shooting down the bird, King and Queen, festival tent). The 155th anniversary in 2026 is planned with over 1,500 guests – a 'proper marksmen's festival', as chairman Alfons Willenbrink emphasizes, deliberately enhanced after the quiet pandemic years.

Lippetal — Municipality at the transition between Soester Börde and Münsterland

The municipality of Lippetal was formed in 1975 from the merger of several villages along the Lippe river (Lippborg, Herzfeld, Hovestadt, Oestinghausen, Heintrop, among others). It lies in the northernmost tip of the Soest district, on the Lippe river – a transition zone between the Soester Börde (arable farming) and the southern Münsterland (forest and water). Known attractions include Schloss Hovestadt (a stately home with gardens belonging to the Plettenberg family), the St. Ida pilgrimage in Herzfeld, and the Lippe floodplain nature area.

Why visit Ida-Woche?

It is one of the rare festival formats that still unbrokenly combines pilgrimage and marksmen's tradition. For visitors from the Ruhr area, Münsterland, and the Soester Börde, it is a journey into a Westphalian-Catholic festival culture that has become rare elsewhere: Pontifical Mass in the morning, Low German evening in the evening, marksmen's parade on the weekend, with the King and Queen at the center. Authentic, locally rooted, with a real sacred core.