The patron saint of Gypsies honored during a pilgrimage of the traveling community in the Camargue

Depuis son socle au cœur de l'église des Saintes jusqu'à la Méditerranée, la statue de Sara est entourée de milliers de fidèles. Mikael Anisset

Like every year, in the heart of the capital of the Camargue, the procession brings together members of the traveling community from all over Europe.

On the edge of the pond, in the Launes district of Saintes-Maries-de-la Mer, around forty caravans parked at Place Joseph-Baptiste are setting the scene. This weekend of May 24 and 25, in the heart of the small seaside resort of Bouches-du-Rhône, travelers, like every year, met for two days to honor their saints Sarah, Salome and Jacobé.

Despite the rain, this Friday, May 24, at the end of the morning, there were people from Avignon, Arles, Alès and moreover, around the paella concocted for the whole family at reunion time.

Carriers from the same family

"Call him " the rich guy", he came in a campervan !", joked at aperitif time Domingo said & quot;Doumé" and Luis, both owners of a caravan, about their cousin Duran, gold guitar around his neck.

Among children dancing and having fun, women singing, men playing music, Payou Baptiste, president of the southern gypsy community, explains: < em>"It’it’since 1935, by decision of the Marquis Folco de Baroncelli, our family has organized every year the pilgrimage of Sara, the patron saint of the Gypsies. The bearers of his statue for his annual blessing at sea are all members of our family.

The pilgrimage, also the opportunity to dance, sing and laugh with your loved ones. Mikael Anisset – Midi Libre

Without resentment, although he was excluded from the porters by the elders, 40 years ago, for arriving late once, Payou Baptiste is not a little proud to organize in person this giant cousinade which, as always, precedes the procession.

A procession during which it is his younger brother, Jean-François, accompanied by his sons Leny and Jacky and their cousin Steven, who lead the statue of Sainte-Sara, by force of arms, from the crypt of the 9th century Romanesque church of Notre-Dame-de-la-mer, in the heart of the village of Les Saintes, to the  Mediterranean for his blessing. A spiritual and cultural event which brings together thousands, even tens of thousands of people each year, like this 2024 edition.

Reuniting, honoring the saints

Sitting in front of her granddaughter's caravan, Popé, 73 years old (73 Sainte-Sara processions under her belt), remembers her first pilgrimages, surrounded by her mother and sisters. At a time when caravans were simple trailers that were still pulled by horses.

" This beautiful celebration was, like today, an opportunity to see each other again. To talk about the past year, and above all to honor our saint, she who protects us and brings us luck", she explains.

For the saint and her faithful, an annual procession from the church to the sea. Mikael Anisset – Midi Libre

At 4:30 p.m., with the return of the sun and the heat, the statue of Santa Sara finally came out of the church, preceded by herdsmen on their Camargue horses, direction the beach.

In the compact crowd, over the short kilometer of the procession in the heart of the village, everyone tried to touch the statue of their patron saint, to ensure protection, luck and happiness, for the year to come.

"Long live the saints, long live Saint Sara", we shouted in the crowd, while the statue&nbsp The patron saint arrived at the sea. In front of tourists captivated by so much devotion and communion, prayers and songs were sung in her honor. Bathed in the Mediterranean, Saint Sara was treated that day to the fervor of all her people.

An honor to which Saints Salome and Jacobé will in turn be entitled today, same place, same time.