30 August 2013

Fête Patronale - the Golden Apple


This is Laurent, affectionately known as 'Béru.'

After the Blessing of the Animals and as part of the Fete Patronale, the church is packed with the village faithful to celebrate the great Mass of St. Barthelmy. During this ceremony, the villagers taken part in the traditional ''offering of the golden apple.''

This tradition dates back to medieval times when noble knights brought their offerings to the ecclesiastical authority. The ceremony has kept its character as a religious symbol of the struggle between good and evil, the crucifix and the sword representing the two social orders. Later, it represented the giving of money to the poor of the village and always the large possible apple was chosen. Nowadays studded with euros! How times do change ... but how wonderful that these traditions continue.


In medieval times two chickens were strung up by their feet, hung on a stick and offered to the curé . Today, they are put into a string bag and at the end of the ceremony returned to their owner, Jacqueline.

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Voici, Laurent 'dit' Béru.

Après la bénédiction des animaux et dans le cadre de la Fête Patronale, l'église est entièrement remplie par les fidèles du village pour célébrer la grande messe de Saint Barthélémy. Au cours de cette cérémonie, les villageois prennent part à la traditionnelle "offre de la pomme d'or. ''

Cette tradition remonte à l'époque médiévale, quand les nobles chevaliers apportaient leurs offrandes à l'autorité ecclésiastique. La cérémonie a gardé son caractère comme un symbole religieux de la lutte entre le bien et le mal, le crucifix et l'épée représentant les deux ordres sociaux. Plus tard, cela représentait un don d'argent aux pauvres du village et on choisissait toujours la plus grosse des pommes. De nos jours, la pomme  est garnie avec des euros! Comme les temps changent ... mais quelle merveille de poursuivre ces traditions.

À l'époque médiévale deux poulets étaient pendus par les pieds, accrochés à un bâton et offerts au curé. Aujourd'hui, ils sont mis dans un filet et à la fin de la cérémonie, ils sont  restitués à leur propriétaire, Jacqueline.

4 comments:

  1. My mother's single surname is Laurent so my eyes and ears always perk up when I see or hear it. I wonder if it has a meaning in French since it is so common?

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  2. As a first name it's simply the masculine form of Laurence. I don'y knoe sbout as a surname, Kate. This is quite interesting

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurent

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  3. What a wonderful face.

    There is still room for you to wedge a few more Euros into that apple.

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  4. Whew! I'm glad I don't have to worry about the chickens. And I love that this ceremony has continued for so long.

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