Saint Vincent's--Version 4 0

St. Vincent's tower from my window at sunset this week

This was my 4th Saint Vincent's parade/mass. There have been only 6 prior to this one, so it's a relatively new tradition, but one that the city has embraced and takes seriously.  The procession was to have left Gambetta at 10:00 this morning, and even allowing for typical late French starts to events, I figured they'd have arrived at Place Carnot by 11.  It's not THAT far. I went to the market, thinking that I would see or at least hear the festivities, but there was no sign of them.  I made my purchases and wound my way up to Saint Vincent's church, hoping I hadn't missed anything. 

I have been to Saint Vincent's numerous times, for services as well as for concerts.   But I have never really taken the time to look around.  The church is to undergo some badly needed major renovations this year, but I think they mostly concern structural integrity and the outside esthetics.  The interior decor is also in need of sprucing up--repainting and plastering.  But it could first do with a good dusting and scrubbing.  Maybe I will volunteer.

Not a typical creche figure

Wine brought in to be blessed

The first thing that caught my eye was the creche that was still on display.  Usually they come down around Epiphany, but this one was still up.  It was pretty typical--Mary, Joseph, white baby Jesus, shepherds and the three kings outside the shelter.  But this one was made special with the addition of a goat-skin bagpipe player.  That's something you probably won't see outside of this region.  

Marble floor in one of the side chapels

Different pattern in the next-door chapel

I became fascinated by the different patterns in the floor.  The French penchant for covering every spare centimeter with some sort of decoration, not necessarily matching or even coordinating, is really evident in Saint Vincent. It makes me antsy to see so much "decoration." That's understandable considering my preference would be Shaker decor!

Lots of the local red marble

Mosaic border--olives?

Eventually I heard someone say, "Ils sont arrives.."--they're here.  The hunter horn players enterered and took their places in one arm of the transept and played a fanfare.  There was an addition this year--one of the hunters brought his dog along for the morning.  

Can you see the painted wall?

It doesn't match or coordinate with the floor

Then the procession made its entry to the thundering of Saint Vincent's mighty organ.  I was saddened to see that this year's procession was much smaller than the first one I saw 4 years ago.  There were fewer vintners cradling their precious bottles, and the brotherhoods were fewer and those that did process were smaller in number.  Maybe the inclement weather was a factor, but I suspect not.  

The cross leads the parade into the church

The wine barrel decorated with natural items went by in a blur

The priest greeted us; he read, we responded, he cantored, we sang in response...I quite liked his message.  One of the dignitaries read the prayer of Saint Vincent.  The priest blessed the wine and, by extension, the season. The heads of the confreries all partook of the cup.  A group of Occitan/Catalan singers sang a hymn whose refrain begins, "Coupo Santo..."   Sainted cup....We all joined in on the refrain.   

One of the confreries

The Musketeers of Razes in blue and white

Love the banners and the garments and the medallions

After the formal service, we listened to a mini concert--Bach's Sleepers Wake (with its reference to preparing the wedding feast it's most appropriate) and another Toccata by Charles Widor.  When I heard the priest begin to chant, I realize why I do not like to attend musical events at Saint Vincent--for most vocal music, the acoustics don't work there.  But the organ somehow seems to work.  I enjoyed both pieces.

Delivering the blessing

 The horn players fanfared the participants out of the church.  They went across the street for the symbolic cutting of the grapes from the tiny little vineyard of Saint Vincent's church.  When it is not locked to keep out miscreants, it's a lovely place to spend time in the sun--thinking or daydreaming.

A mini organ concert followed the ceremony

This guy does the ceremonial "harvest"

The wine leaving the church

I love being able to participate in or at least watch these festivals, but with each passing year, I am more aware of how fragile they are.  It takes commitment to organize and coordinate these events year after year.  The guard passes and sometimes, there is no one with the inclination, the time, and the ability to take up the banner and keep the tradition going. I hope that never happens to this particular festival, because in a community where viticulture is such a large part of the economy, we need all the help we can get. Maybe it is base superstition, but what can be the harm in asking Saint Vincent to intercede?