Amid the haunting and desolate waterland of the Camargue, the delta of the River Rhône, lie the remains of St Sara, or Sara the Black, the patron saint of the Gitans, also known as Gypsies. Near the end of May, Gitans from all over Europe make their way to the Camargue for a flamboyant street fiesta of music and dancing. On each 24 of May the statue of St Sara is removed from the church and paraded to the sea to symbolise her wait for Sts Marie-Jacobé and Marie-Salomé, who first brought Catholicism to Europe’s shores. The next day it’s the turn of the statues of Marie-Jacobé and Marie-Salomé, who are carried to the sea by the Gitans, in the company of the town’s Catholics, where they are blessed by the bishop. Adding a family edge to the festival, many Gitans use the pilgrimage as an opportunity to baptise their children in the holy church. For more information, follow the link bellow.
