This year, the jury is awarding a very original and successful initiative: the Village of MARIE is the only one in Europe to bear this name, which is quite common. The Mayor, Mr. Gérard STEPPEL, has creatively leveraged this characteristic by calling upon all individuals named Marie to support the project for the restoration of the village church.
The success far exceeded the population of the commune (107) as the subscription, launched in June 2018, already has more than 1,246 donors!
This project perfectly embodies the definition of popular mobilization, where behind each donation lies a beautiful story.
The collection, which now exceeds €60,000 thanks to donations, the subsidy from the 06 delegation, and the Patronage Prize, has allowed for the completion of exterior work and will enable continued interior work on the building. During the presentation of the Popular Patronage Prize, an additional €4,000 was awarded to the project and given to the Mayor of Marie as a reward for this enormous success.
Marie, a small village in the Tinée Valley, has a rich history. In fact, the existence of this village has been documented since the year 1066.
Typical of a medieval village, the parish church of Saint-Pons, dating back before the 16th century, is of significant interest to the history and heritage of Marie. Inside, it houses two 17th-century paintings and a statue of the Virgin, which continues to be carried in procession each year.
To ensure the church’s longevity, substantial work needed to be planned.
Today, the construction is nearly complete thanks to the great national-scale mobilization that this project has generated.
