In the arms of Sara

Saintes Maries de la Mer, in the end of May, experiences few days of intense fervor that accompany Pilgrimages. Romanies, Manouches, Tziganes and Gitans that come from all over Europe to venerate their Saint, the Black Sara, called the Kali. They camp everywhere with their caravans and at least for a few days these nomadic people live together under the romani flag in a defined geographic point. The pilgrimage is also the occasion for reunions of friends and families, streets ceaselessly resonate of gipsy music and people celebrates day and night. Hours are marked by several rituals taking place in the church of Notre Dame de la Mer and by the processions that carries the Saints to the sea. In this selection of photos from the entire reportage I wanted to focus on the ceremony inside the church, highlighting the gesture of people attending the rituals. My attention was caught by the physicality of any single gesture which shows devotion and intensity so that my main subjects became hands and arms even more than faces. Exactly those arms that are missing in the Sara statue, as if Romani people tries to compensate this lack offering theirs.