Next week, Montpellier will celebrate Saint-Roch as we do around the 15th of August every year. Saint Roch is the patron saint of the city. The festivities attract people from around the world. I attended them for the first time in my life last year. Actually I think it is a pilgrimage.
During the celebrations, we can drink water from the well located in the house where Saint Roch was born in 1340 (approx), during the Hundred Year's War. We can also go and see the well, which is very deep (once a year only).
The house next door was that of Guillaume Rondelet, a famous doctor who lived in the 16th century and who received Rabelais in 1530.... Rabelais is considered one of the major French writers.
On my other blog, you can see photos of the procession, which I took and posted last year.
The statue shown in the lower photo can be seen on the wall of Saint Roch's house in the rue de la Loge. There are a lot of such statues in Montpellier.
The international association devoted to Saint Roch is very active...
WOW! Looks like a lot of fun, I went to see all the other pictures. Big doings. Quite a celebration!
RépondreSupprimerHi marie - I hope you have a very successful celebration - it seems a very special event! I am looking forward to finding out more.
RépondreSupprimerMarie, I love your pictures, and I love your history lessons...I'm much smarter by visiting you! Thanks!
RépondreSupprimerThank you, Wanda. I don't know much about the history of my city. What I "teach" is easy to find :-))
RépondreSupprimerMerci bien, Jules and Mary.
We will not be allowed to drink water this week (tomorrow) as it has been found polluted.
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