Festa Major de la St Ferréol
…..on or around September 18th
Situated to the north east of Cérêt, at an altitude of 300m, this 13th century chapel had the hermitage added in the 18th century and other buildings added later to accommodate the many pilgrims who came to pray at the chapel of St Ferréol.
Saint Ferréol himself actually lived in the third century but his sacred remains were moved to Céret for security during the crusades against ‘heretics’ of the 13th century and a chapel built to honour them.
The chapel bells, named Maria, Margarita et Salvaterra, date back to 1608.
Nobody seems to know why but inside the chapel is inscribed « Llaurens Cros, fill d’Illa ermita de Sant Ferriol, estat 44 anys esclau a Constantinople, 1705″, meaning “Laurent Cros, native of Ille, hermit of St Ferréol, was a slave in Constantinople for 44 years”!
Find out more about the hermitage here.
Each year, around the third week in September, the peaceful hermitage bursts into life with the annual Festa Major. Tradition, religion, food and drink… it’s a firm favourite with the locals.
Organised terrroir meal, pack a picnic or book in to one of the local restaurants?
CHECK OUT PROGRAMME WITH CERET TOURIST OFFICE
