In the Pays de Retz, there is a little-known tradition: that of praying to fight against drought. In the town of Chaumes-en-Retz, in La Sicaudais, a chapel is dedicated to Saint-Vitala 7th century Irish hermit who gave his name to the town of Saint-Viaud.
According to the legend, Saint-Vital would have planted his staff in the ground and a spring would have sprung up from the ground. At this place there is still a fountain, right next to the chapel.
Processions until the 1960s
Until the 1960s, people came in procession to this chapel to pray for rain.
“People came from the region, the parishioners of Saint-Viaud, Chauvé, Saint-Père-en-Retz, Frossay or La Sicaudaissays Jean Filodeau, owner of the Saint-Vital chapel, built by his great-uncle in 1923. They came in procession with the cross and the banners across the fields, because there was no road, to implore Saint-Vital for rain. So they also dipped the handle of the banner and the cross in the fountain, in the water. And often when the procession returned, there was a downpour. But since the 1960s, these little pilgrimages no longer exist.”
– Leila Mechaouri
– Leila Mechaouri