Black Madonna sites on the French Camino

[aparker]

Hi fellow pilgrims,

Many thanks to those who welcomed my post as a new pilgrim-in-planning in early December, 2008. One of you mentioned a black Madonna site in Rocamadour that is not far off the French Camino route. Does anyone have advice on other back Madonna sites along or near the French route from Le Puy? Or on good sources of information on this in this part of France - book setc?

Thanks much!

Anne from Colorado

 

[sillydoll]

You can find links to Black Madonnas in many countries of Europe on this website

http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/resource ... lackm.html

 

[berth41]

Hello Anne,
the cathedral in Rocamadour has a chapel of the Black Virgin first mentioned in 1106 AD.
However the most famous black virgin in France is Santa Sarah , the saint of the gypsies (gitans).
In Les Saintes Marie de la Mer , situated in the Rhone Delta (estuary) . This region is called The Camargue famous allso for its black bulls and white horses , semi wetlands with lots of birds and pink flamingos .Every year in the last week of May gypsies from all over Europe gather here to pay respect to Sainte Sarah , they carry her statue into the sea and everybody is blessed than they put the statue back in the church . This litlle town is close to Arles the start of the
Via Tolosana , its made famous because Van Gogh lived here a while .
However not close to Le Puy .
check this http://www.camargue.fr than click on les gitans you will find some pictures there.
By the way the Camargue is one of my favorites in France .
Bon Annee
berth41