Following tradition, the people of Nice celebrated the “Malonat” with a procession from the Oratory of Malonat to the Church of Gesu where a Mass was held. They were numerous, in the presence of municipal authorities, with the first deputy Anthony Borre at the forefront, accompanied by other elected officials.
The origin of this religious tradition dates back to the Sardinian era when cholera appeared in Nice in July 1854. Faced with the extent of the scourge, the residents of the Malonat district then placed themselves under the protection of the Virgin Mary, with official prayers of thanksgiving on August 2, 1854.
A public subscription was organized by the women of the district, who have since been known as “Prioulessa” (the Prioresses), to finance the construction of an oratory in gratitude for the end of the epidemic, dedicated to Our Lady of Good Help, also known as Our Lady of Malonat.
The first celebration of Our Lady of Malonat took place on August 2, 1854, and the oratory itself was inaugurated on September 8, 1854. Since then, a votive festival has been organized in the district every year.
