Les Stes Maries de la Mer

Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (originally known as Ratis) in the Carmague region of the Gard, southern France, is a small village near the Rhone estuary, which is known to have had ancient Egyptian and Phoenician settlements. According to medieval legend Mary Magdalene, Mary Jacobe and Mary Salome (mothers of the two James of the Gospels) - along with Martha, Lazarus and their black servant Sara - were cast to sea in a rudderless boat by hostile jews. This frail craft is said to have landed in Provence. It is thought to be here at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer that the three Marys and Sarah (their black servant) landed after leaving the Holy Land. One Mary is thought to have left Ratis, while the other two remained here with Sarah.

Sainte Sarah / l'Egyptienne - although not herself a black madonna - is greatly venerated, especially by the gypsies who adopted her as the Black Madonna of the gypsies in the 15th century. It seems likely that she is the goddess Kali Sara who the Roma (gypsies) still worship - a reminder of their origins in India. However it seems likely that the Ste Sara legend pre-dates Christianity since at Les Saintes Maries de la Mer the remains of temples to Artemis, Cybele, Isis and the Celtic Triple Goddess Matres have been found. Black statues of these ancient goddesses were widespread.

On the 24th May they dress the statue of Ste Sarah - which becomes a little wider each year as the layers increase - before carrying her in procession to the sea. The following day the statues of the two Maries are carried to the sea, accompanied by the bishop.

Ean Begg in The Cult of the Black Virgin tells us that it is here in the church crypt of Sara-la-Kâli that the gypsies elect their queen.

In 1449 the former church nave was demolished to open the crypt, where a stone altar was found. This was known as l'oreiller (pillow) des Saintes or altar of Juno.

Much of the Sara legend seems to come from later Christian propaganda. Indeed Provence was not converted to Christianity until long after the arrival of Sara and the three Marys.

However in the 15th century when four decapitated skeletons were excavated from beneath the church the the story gained notoriety and King Rene "the Good" instituted a cult to Sarah the Egyptian, whom he considered to be descended from Isis. He included the three Marys in this but later the Church removed Mary Magdalene from the cult, reducing the Marys to two. 

At nearby Maillane in the valley of the Rhone is one of the many black madonnas to be found in Provence: Notre Dame de Grâce / Notre Dame de Bethléem.

Saintes Maries de la Mer is a major stage on the Chemin St Jacques / Way of St James pilgrim route to the shrine of St James at Santiago de Compostella in northern Spain.