Covid-Lourdes

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the “modern capital of miracles”, Lourdes, has seen an impressive drop in the number of its visitors. In May 2020, only 10% of the more than 200 hotels were normally operational, and the overall economic loss for the city was estimated at 8 million euros. However, this series that I took in July 2020 is not dedicated to the percentage of “lost” or “absent” pilgrims, but to the “resistant” ones, the pilgrims who went to Lourdes despite everything. Along with the kitch plaster figurines in religious stores, these pilgrims remain the city's only presences in times of coronavirus. With them , a place considered sacred - but in reality, already and always in negotiation with very secular concepts - was thus confronted with words and notions totally foreign to its language and its usual rituals, such as social distance, prohibition to touch oneself and others, wearing a mask, alcohol-based hand sanitiser...