Originating in the Middle Ages, it developed from a pilgrimage to the grave of Saint Servatius into the present-day religious, historical, cultural and commercial enterprise.

The Chapter of St Servatius, considering itself the oldest and more powerful institution, made sure that no relics were shown in the open air at Our Lady's.

[notes 2] It is not known when this date became the focal point of the Maastricht pilgrimage but in 1289 auxiliary bishop Bonaventura of Liège offered an indulgence to pilgrims visiting the grave of Saint Servatius around this time of the year.

[notes 4] Monasteries, hospitals, alms houses and individual citizens offered shelter, as only a limited number could be admitted to the town's official pilgrims' hospitiums.

[13] Pilgrims came from all over Europe, notably from the Low Countries, France (Normandy and Brittany in particular, where Saint Servatius was venerated much), England, the Holy Roman Empire (Germany, Austria and Bohemia), Hungary and Scandinavia.

[17] The decline of the Maastricht pilgrimage in the 16th century was a result of the Protestant Reformation, as well as the ensuing wars of religion and outbreaks of the plague.

After the Capture of Maastricht by the Protestant Dutch Republic in 1632, a ban on processions and other religious manifestations in public was issued, meaning the end of the traditional Heiligdomsvaart.

An important step in the reassessment of Maastricht's religious patrimony was the publication of Bock and Willemsen's illustrated catalogue of the church treasures in 1872.

Also in 1873, the Treasury of the Basilica of St Servatius, after extensive restoration works led by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, opened to the public.

[20] In the course of the 20th century Catholics were no longer regarded as a threat in the Netherlands, partly due to the fact that they had evolved from being a religious minority to a majority.

Whereas processions and pilgrimages were previously regarded by non-Catholics as "catholic superstition" and "folklore", there was now a certain curiosity in this sensual approach to faith.

Masses were celebrated by the archbishop of Utrecht and the bishop of Liège, indicating the high profile the pilgrimage by then had achieved within the Roman Catholic Church.

[notes 7] Another pre-19th-century element of the pilgrimage that was revived in the 20th century was the playful spectacle The Storming of the Castle, which took place on the river Meuse in 1930, 1937 and 1983.

[25][26] Since 1937 the task of organising the septennial pilgrimage lies with the Vereniging Het Graf van Sint Servaas (Society of the Grave of Saint Servatius).

To a lesser degree involved are the other churches in central Maastricht, as well as a number of (Catholic) schools, senior citizens homes and cultural institutions.

Furthermore, prayer services, Liturgies of the Hours, lectures and other spiritual activities are organised, some of which take place in the crypt, the Keizerzaal, or other unusual locations.

[34] The ceremonies of the displaying of the relics in the two main churches constitute the spiritual highlight of the pilgrimage and refer – more so than the processions or other activities – to its medieval origin.

In 2018 the order of showing was: After the blessing, given with the cross reliquary, a procession is formed once more, taking the relics to the north transept where they are exhibited for about an hour.

Each time a group of relics is shown, a short fanfare sounds from the west choir of the church, adding to the dramatic effect.

It is remarkable that the arm reliquary of Saint Thomas and most of the Servatiana (see below: 'List of devotional objects/Servatiana'), which were so pivotal in the medieval relics display, are no longer shown.

The first rows at the Vrijthof stand are usually reserved for guests such as bishops, cabinet ministers, the governor of Limburg, the mayor of Maastricht and other dignitaries.

[41] About half of the participants in the processions are members of confraternities, carriers guilds or other groups that are involved in carrying and escorting the holy objects assigned to them.

A group of students from the Roman Catholic seminaries of Rolduc and Liège carried reproductions of a painting by the Master of Alkmaar, illustrating the Seven Works of Mercy.

In 2018 there were local representatives of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (see above), the Russian Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Philippine community (with an Ave Maria theme), the Antillian community (with a gospel group), the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, the Order of Saint Lazarus, the OSMTH Order of the Knights Templar, the Bund der St. Sebastianus Schützenjugend (with the Aachener Friedenskreuz or Aachen Peace Cross) and the Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus (with a banner commemorating the beatification of their founder, Clara Fey).

An additional reason for this could be that art historians have argued that, with the exception of the cup of Saint Servatius, none of these objects are old enough to have been the personal belongings of someone who lived in the 4th century.

Members of the Carriers Guild of Saint Lambert (Dutch: Dragersgilde St. Lambertus) wear green and yellow tunics; around their neck a chain with an embroidered medallion with an image of the bust and the five-pointed star of Maastricht.

[53] Despite the fact that the emphasis in modern pilgrimages has somewhat shifted away from saints and relics worship, the historical and religious significance of the objects concerned makes their presence paramount.

The wooden chest with elaborate gilded copper reliefs, champlevé enamels and precious stones is the main treasure of the Basilica of St Servatius and arguably the most important medieval object in the Netherlands.

[notes 13] For centuries the Noodkist was the centre of veneration of Saint Servatius in Maastricht, receiving its nickname from the custom of taking it out in procession in times of distress (first mentioned in 1409).

The fraternity members also escort the chest when it leaves the church in processions, which normally only happens once a year (Saint Servatius Day, 13 May).