Скачать или смотреть Feast of Saintes Maries and Ste. Sara: Procession of Ste. Sara to the Sea

The town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France, celebrates its namesakes each May 25 with a feast that draws 25,000-40,000 Catholics, Gypsies and others for devotion and processions to the sea. The Saintes Maries are Ste. Marie Jacobé and Ste. Marie Salomé, friends of Jesus in the gospel, who were present at the Cross and the empty tomb. Local legend has it that after Jesus' death, the Marys fled Judea and journeyed across the sea by boat. They landed in the Camargue region, where they lived out their days and helped to bring Christianity to France.

The day before the feast, May 24, the church in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer lowers a reliquary said to contain the Marys' bones from a chapel high above the altar. People crowd the church to greet the reliquary with candles and veneration.

The day also honors Ste. Sara, an unofficial saint and patron to the Gypsy community, who attend the feast in great numbers. Her image, draped in layers of colorful capes left as devotional offerings, is carried to the sea, where thousands of people line the shore to watch and celebrate. The next day, May 25, the image of the Saintes Maries is likewise processed to the sea, reenacting their arrival in France.

Learn more:
Feast of Saintes Maries and Sainte Sara: http://bit.ly/2QdhXuA
The story behind the saints Maries and Sara: https://bit.ly/2Ti9ZDu
What the feast means to Gypsies and other Gens du Voyage: https://bit.ly/3cXji3a

This video is part of Catholics & Cultures, an initiative of the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture at the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. Visit http://www.catholicsandcultures.org.