Sunday, October 9, 2011, starting at 9 AM in front of the City Hall – Old Nice. Every year, the people of Nice and the faithful pay tribute to Sainte Réparate, the patron saint of Nice and Florence.
Sainte Réparate was a young Christian saint, virgin, and martyr from Caesarea in Palestine, who is believed to have died in 250 under the reign of Emperor Decius (249-251) during the brief but violent persecution he led against new religions, including Christianity.
According to tradition, Réparate’s ordeal began with fire, but she was saved by a providential downpour. Her executioners tried to make her swallow boiling pitch, but she miraculously survived the ordeal, eventually being beheaded. Her body, placed in a boat, drifted across the Mediterranean. Angels are said to have guided the vessel back to the Nice shore, thus giving their name to the famous bay of Nice.
The remains of the Saint were buried in a chapel in the old town before being placed in 1690 in the cathedral built on the site of the former chapel. Consecrated in 1699, it was placed under Réparate’s protection, as evidenced by the painting that surmounts the main altar in the choir of the building.
Program of the feast:
9:00 AM: Gathering in front of Nice Town Hall, 5 rue de l’Hôtel de Ville.
9:30 AM: Procession from the rue de l’Hôtel de Ville to place Rossetti, accompanied by the Nice Firefighters Band and the Ciamada Nissarda.
The route will be as follows: rue de l’Hôtel de Ville, rue Alexandre Mari, place du Palais de Justice, rue de la Préfecture, rue Droite, place Rossetti.
10:00 AM: Pontifical Mass at Sainte Réparate Cathedral – Words from the Mayor in Niçois to the Bishop.
11:30 AM: Laying of wreaths at the Monument to the Dead, place Rossetti.
11:40 AM: Unveiling of the visual on the launch of restoration work on the cathedral façade funded to the tune of 600,000 euros by the General Council of Alpes-Maritimes.
11:45 AM: Speeches by present personalities.
12:15 PM: Niçois buffet offered by the City of Nice.
3:00 PM: Concert by the Firefighters Band, place Rossetti.
