“
That’s it, are you preparing for Christmas?
".
Well wrapped up in spite of the bit of sunshine, the voice of Nadine* breaks the monastic silence of the small town of Châteaumeillant.
Perched in the middle of the Cher, 66 km from Bourges, the town of 2000 inhabitants is preparing to celebrate Christmas.
The church of Châteaumeillant, stronghold of the 31 bell towers in the region.
MLM / LE FIGARO
Like every year, Nadine arrived from Paris a few days ago, with her husband and her grown children.
"
Will you be there at Christmas mass?"
asks Father Marie-Laurent
,
dressed in his black cassock topped with a sheepskin jacket
.
"There are four celebrations,"
he continues.
One here, two on the evening of the 24th at 6:30 p.m. in Châteaumeillant and 10:30 p.m. then one the next day at 6 a.m. in Saint-Christophe and finally that of families in Châtelet at 10:30
a.m.
Every evening on the 24th, the church of Châteaumeillant lights up with 1,200 candles.
Chateaumeillant Parish
The Parisians will be there, the locals too.
Along with August 15, Christmas is the second holiday that brings together the most parishioners from here and elsewhere.
If Father Marie-Laurent usually has 100 people in his 31 bell towers on Sundays, there are usually more than 600 on December 24 and 25.
Two priests for more than 1200 km²
To prepare for this celebration that the world is waiting for, each of the three parish sectors has its own conductor.
Three days before Christmas, they meet with Father Marie-Laurent, in Châteaumeillant, to settle the final details of the preparations, which began in early November.
Who will help light the 1200 candles on the evening of the 24th?
Who will be there for the market choir?
Who takes care of the partitions?
And who manages the children's disguises as shepherds?
If the sectors prepare activities together, such as the living nativity scene, each has its own little traditions.
"
That's also the Church of France, there are traditions, charismatics
," explains Father Marie-Laurent, who has lived in Berry for 14 years.
Each of the 31 churches in the area has its own little nativity scene.
Here, that of the Châtelet.
MLM / LE FIGARO
Last year, Father Serge came to support him in this exceptional mission of leading 8,000 souls whose average age is approaching 75, over more than 1,200 km2.
Before, accompanied by his van and his faithful dog Pepone, Father Marie-Laurent traveled 35,000 kilometers a year.
“
Since Serge has been here, we share visits, masses and baptisms and funerals
”.
A welcome help, in this region where the needs are not lacking.
In three days, the week before Christmas, they were called for ten burials.
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When one is a country priest, one is in charge of masses, burials, marriages, baptisms, preparations for celebrations, catechism but also the upkeep of churches.
At the turn of a mop linking two distant steeples, Father Marie-Laurent suggests stopping “to
see how the construction site is progressing at Châtelet
”.
He then stops in front of this Romanesque church, where the sound of pop music clashes with the place.
Inside: two workers are redoing the entire sound system.
"
You'll be done by the end of the week?"
asks the priest.
The two men decline, “
it will be difficult, Father, we will do our best
”.
On entering the Châtelet church, Father Marie-Laurent was amazed to learn that the work would not be finished by Christmas.
MLM / LE FIGARO
Taken by a sudden concern, he understands that Christmas is in three days and that without a sound system, the parishioners risk not hearing much.
On the way back, he calls the site foreman, asking him to speed up the pace even if it means putting in place a third worker.
Always renewing itself to best help the villagers
With a motivation to move the mountains of Auvergne, which can be seen in the distance, the man steeped in faith “
has a thousand ideas an hour
”, according to Nicole, his secretary.
A choir for local children, a troop of troubadours, traveling catechism lessons, a Christmas mass by candlelight, a WhatsApp loop, a flower bed for Saint-Gervais (a local saint celebrated on June 19). .. Initiatives abound.
“
I even tried to travel through the villages in a motorhome.
I slept in the square and celebrated mass for the inhabitants
,” recalls the man of the Church, always accompanied by his dog, his two sheep and his goat.
He sighs: “
But it didn't work, people are so far from God now”.
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Father Marie-Laurent does not hide her difficulties.
“
We have 15,000 euros in debt this year
.
Many of our parishioners are old.
Young people have suffered a lot from
Covid and health restrictions
.
And now
inflation is hitting some families hard
.”
Being a country priest also means fulfilling a social role, encouraging residents to have ties with each other, visiting the poorest and helping people weather the storms of life.
Every noon, the parishioners in the service of the Church meet to pray together.
MLM / LE FIGARO
To help him, Father Marie-Laurent can count on sector heads but also devoted parishioners, such as Gintio's family.
A very active member of the gypsy community, the couple, parents of nine children, participate in the life of the parish.
“
We help a little for everything,
describes the father of the family.
I am a sacristan, my wife and my daughters assist the priest with the installation of the church, the songs...
”
For two years, the church of Châteaumeillant has been hosting an evolving and participatory crèche.
MLM / LE FIGARO
For the second year, an evolving and participative nativity scene has been set up in the Romanesque church of Châteaumeillant.
Each parishioner brings his own santon and places it in the decor created by a Berrichonne, under the demanding gaze of Anne.
From the height of her 23 years, the Parisian volunteer is on a mission Isidore, who sends young Catholics to the countryside all year round.
"
It's a joy for us to have young people who commit like this full-time
", underlines the parish priest.
Preparation for baptism, catechism, choir, visit to nursing homes, preparation of masses, decorations of the church for Christmas... The last few months have been busy.
After a business school, she left the Paris region to discover this France, far from metros and department stores.
This year, she will spend December 24 and 25 in the heart of Berry to experience this exceptional moment with her adopted family.
Father Marie-Laurent recovers the Blessed Sacrament.
MLM / LE FIGARO
