The Procession of the Holy Blood takes place on the Ascension Day, annually since the year 1150. For eight centuries the relic of the Holy Blood has been venerated by a mile-long procession of 1,500 Bruges citizens, many in the colorful medieval garb of Crusader or knight.The relic was brought to Bruges by Thierry d'Alsace, Count of Flanders in 1149, presumably given to him by the Patriarch of Jerusalem in recognition of his contribution to the First Crusade in the Holly Land. The procession during which the relic is paraded through the town for veneration dates to 1303. There are two parts to the procession : the first by tableaux and floats enacts scenes from the Bible up through the coming of Christ and His Resurrection, and the second part depicts the return of the Count of Flanders to Bruges.