Paper short abstract:

In this paper, I will analyze the effects of the introduction of the railway in a small French pilgrimage at the end of the 19th century and hypothesize that this transformation laid the foundations of its morphology and organization, still in force today.

Paper long abstract:

What are the effects of the introduction of the railway at the end of the 19th century into the organization (still in progress) of a pilgrimage from Pentecost to Sainte-Solange, France. The opening of the station in 1893 almost doubled the number of participants (about 20,000 people). Some observers rejoice at this impetus of piety, others, clergy in particular, are more skeptical.

This influx of people requires a more rigorous organization of the procession. The Archdiocese obtains preferential rates and special trains, but the railway company requires pre-registration and group travel. The procession is now organized in groups according to the parishes. After WWII, "migrants" (Polish, Spanish, Portuguese...) settled in the region, take part in the celebration. The pilgrimage is now described as international.

In 1966, the station closes and the coming to the pilgrimage is done now by car. Although the number of pilgrims has finally declined, the organization of the procession and the representations of a pilgrimage in decline will continue throughout the 20th century.

Today, the pilgrimage attracts a few hundred pilgrims and all the festivities of the celebration have almost disappeared. For many observers, the pilgrimage owes its survival only to the presence of the Portuguese since the 1960s. I make the assumption that this configuration will provide the bases of the morphology of the pilgrimage and allow in particular the visible presence of "communities" foreign and in particular the Portuguese group which, from 1960 to today, has become a pillar of the pilgrimage.