Saint-Roch Festival in Montpellier: parades, flag-waving, blessing of the dogs… the program of festivities for August 15 and 16

Les sbandierotori de San Lorenzo d’Alba vont défiler et lancer les drapeaux. Archive Midi Libre – RICHARD DE HULLESSEN

Ce jeudi 15 août et ce vendredi 16 août 2024, Montpellier va célébrer en grande pompe ce pèlerin laïc natif de la ville et connu dans le monde entier pour être un saint guérisseur de la peste.

The streets of downtown Montpellier will be animated with music, historical costumes, and flag-waving this Thursday, August 15 and Friday, August 16. And for good reason, the city is celebrating Saint Roch. But be careful, this major event does not only have a religious aspect.

There is the cultural, festive, historical side supported by the Saint-Roch International Association of Montpellier and its dynamic president Anne-Marie Conte-Privat and in parallel the religious. “We have chosen to work on this celebration in good faith, which will allow those who wish to stop during the church walks to do so and those who do not want to continue”, specifies the organizer of the event on the secular side.

The program was therefore concocted in this sense with some highlights…

1. The flag throwers

The flag throwing of the sbandierotori of San Lorenzo d’Alba. Archive Midi Libre – RICHARD DE HULLESSEN

This is one of the specificities of this great event: the arrival of flag-throwers. Very popular shows that will take place throughout the three parades planned over the two days. “And it's worth attending… It's always eagerly awaited by the people of Montpellier and tourists." For this reason Anne-Marie Conte-Privat explains, not a little proudly, that around sixty sbandierotori from San Lorenzo d'Alba will perform on numerous occasions.

The group is made up of around twenty people in historical costumes, around twenty musicians and around twenty flag-throwers. “And those from Alba are among the best in Italy”, underlines the organizer who specifies that they offer their services out of friendship.

And for those who wonder about the link between Saint Roch and the flag throwers, Anne-Marie Conte-Privat confides:"It’is not only festive and it symbolizes Italy, the country where Saint Roch lived. And it’s so sumptuous."

Before completing: "A practice that comes from the battlefields in Italy where the flag should not fall to the ground, so when’ a soldier was injured and he threw him into the air so that he could be caught by another. Otherwise it was a sign of dishonor."

The story of the life of Saint Roch

BirthSaint Roch was born in Montpellier around 1349 in a family of notables from Montpellier, the Roch de la Croix, a lineage that became important in the 16th century under the name of Castries. His father, a dignitary of the city, was its 1st consul. His mother, Lady Liberia, was from Lombardy.

Pilgrim Orphaned at 17, rich and educated, he had studied medicine, he distributed his fortune to the poor and took the habit of a pilgrim for Rome. He then devotes his life to the most deprived and desperate, cares for plague victims and is said to have performed many miracles.

Plague Contaminated by the plague, he retires to a cave on the edge of Sarmato to die, but a spring gushes forth and a dog brings him a small loaf of bread every day. He recovers. He returns to care for the sick before leaving for Montpellier.

PrisonBut on the road, he was mistaken for a spy and thrown into the dungeon at Voghera in Italy. Honoring his vow of anonymity, he would not reveal his name until his death, which occurred between 1376 and 1379.

Remains He was buried with dignity at Voghera, which dedicated a feast to him in 1382. His body, resting in the church that is still dedicated to him, was stolen or was the subject of a transaction in February 1485 – with the exception of two small bones in his arm. Since 1485, most of his body has been in the Saint-Roch church in Venice.

Celebration In Montpellier, we find traces of celebrations in his name on the small thalamus from 1387.

The inscription on the Petit Thalamus indicating that Saint Roch was already celebrated in 1387 in Montpellier. DR

2. Blessing of the Dogs

As the story goes, a small dog is said to have brought a small loaf of bread every day to Saint Roch when he was suffering from the plague, which is why he is always accompanied by a faithful companion in his performances and is considered the patron saint of dogs.

Blessing of the dogs. Midi Libre Archive – RICHARD DE HULLESSEN

Hence the holding of a blessing of the dogs – which may seem a bit folkloric – which will take place on the forecourt of the church. Some also bring other animals on this occasion so that they can also be blessed. A distribution of rolls will close the moment.

Blessing of the dogs. Midi Libre Archive – RICHARD DE HULLESSEN

3. Dogs in the spotlight

As the dog is a symbol of Saint Roch. The association has invited Captain Jean-François Sicard of the 132nd Canine Infantry Regiment who will honor the event with his presence. A delegation from Miramas will parade alongside him during the processions of August 16: the Army dogs will therefore be there. A first for the Montpellier event.

Fleur-Marie Desfougères, director of the Centrale Canine, the official organization that coordinates the dog community in France, will also be present.

4. The relics exhibited

The Saint-Roch church houses several relics of Saint Roch, notably his tibia and his pilgrim's staff.

It was Abbot Recluz who obtained the leg bone in 1856 from Venice (which possessed the body of the saint after having stolen it &ndash or following a transaction – An expert opinion was carried out by surgeons from the Faculty of Medicine attesting that the bone belonged to a person who had suffered from the plague.

Relic of Saint Roch. Midi Libre Archive – SYLVIE CAMBON

Among the other relics, the pilgrim's staff which from 1640 will be kept by monks and locked in a case placed in a cabinet with two keys. The latter entrusted to two separate parties. However, during the Revolution, it disappears to reappear in front of the door of Cardinal de Cabrières.

The relics of Saint Roch. Midi Libre Archive – SYLVIE CAMBON

The relics will be exhibited and then taken out during the procession.

The relics come out for the occasion. Archive Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

The three routes. Infographic Midi Libre S. W.

Complete program

Here is the list of festive and religious events grouped together.

On 15 août

– 8 p.m. 3 p.m.: departure of the grand parade-cortège from the House of International Relations located at at the end of the Esplanade.

– 20 hours 30 hours: prayer time & Our Lady of Tables (for believing people).

– 8 p.m. 40 p.m.: flag throwers show à the Porte d’eau fountain in front of the Tourist Office.

– 9 p.m.: passage in front of Notre-Dame des Tables.

– 9:30 p.m.: flag throwers show at Place Castellane.

– 10 p.m.: flag-throwers' show at Place Saint-Roch in front of the sanctuary.

– 10:30 p.m.: end of the procession in front of the Esplanade kiosk.

August 16

– 8:30 a.m.: mass at the Saint-Roch sanctuary, celebrated by Canon Michel Plagniol.

– 9:30 a.m.: departure of the grand parade-procession from the Maison des relations internationales located at the end of the Esplanade.

– 9:30 a.m.: the relics of Saint Roch exhibited in the Saint-Roch church all day.

– 10 a.m.: departure of the procession with the statue of Saint Roch from Place Saint-Roch.

– 10:30 a.m.: international mass   Saint-Pierre Cathedral, presided over by Monseigneur Turini.

– 10 h 45&nbsp ;: animation Bandurà place de la Canourgue.

– 11 h : animation Bandurà Place du Marché with flowers.

– 11 h 15 : animation Bandurà place Jean-Jaurès.

– 11 h 40 : animation Bandurà in front of the birthplace of Saint Roch, rue de la Loge.

– 12 p.m. 3 p.m.: Bandur animation ;&agrav; the Porte d’eau fountain in front of the Tourist Office.

– 12:20 p.m.: show of the water throwers flags place de Compostelle.

– 12:40 p.m.: flag-throwers' show at the fountain Porte d’eau in front of the Tourist Office.

– 12:55 p.m.: end of the procession in front of the Esplanade kiosk.

– 3:00 p.m.: violin and organ concert at the Saint-Roch sanctuary.

– 4:00 p.m.: lecture on Saint Roch by Canon Michel Plagniol at the sanctuary Saint-Roch.

– 4:45 p.m.: Vespers.

– 5:00 p.m.: Departure of the last major parade-procession from the Maison des relations internationales located at the end of the Esplanade.

– 5:30 p.m.: Flag-throwers' show at Place Saint-Roch.

– 17:30: procession of the relics and the statue of Saint Roch from the Saint-Roch church.

– 6 p.m.: blessings of the inhabitants and also of the dogs from the forecourt of the Saint-Roch sanctuary.

– 7 p.m.: spectacle of the flag throwers at the fountain Water gate in front of the Tourist Office.

– 19:40: end of the procession in front of the Esplanade kiosk.

5. Notable personalities

Several personalities have agreed to participate in this international event, including Daniele Salerno, president of the municipal council of the city of Voghera and honorary president of the committee for historical and scientific research on Saint Roch, the mayor of Alba, but also the Barons of Caravètes, the Fraternité Jacquaire de Septimanie, the Bandurà for music, the Cettarame association of Sète and Dominique Giorgi-Font, president of the committee of the Reines de Cœur who is bringing 12 representatives from France.

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