KEYWORD: RELIGION

Some of the most exotic travelogue material in the archive focuses on religious festivals from around the world. Countries visited include; Belgium, Brittany, Morocco, Switzerland, Ethiopia, France, Italy, Mexico, Kenya, India, Tibet, Austria, South Africa, Australia, Ireland, Egypt, Germany, Japan, Greece, Jordan, Cyprus, Thailand, Lesotho, Bulgaria, Korea, Florida, China, Turkey and Singapore.

Pathe also observed a wide range of religious festivals in the UK, many of which were far more prominent in the Pathe era, particularly Easter, Whitsun, and Palm Sunday, all of which were often associated with local, and often quite bizarre, rituals.

At Easter, the Pope was usually filmed giving his annual message in the Vatican City.

Blessings were also very popular camera fodder. Anything from hounds, seashores, lakes, fishermen, pets, grapes, toys and circuses would be blessed by the local holy man…

Vicars were also good for the odd and the bizarre; never satisfied with doing just God's work they can be seen wrestling, sculpting twigs, doing milk rounds, riding motorbikes, even filming wedding ceremonies to try and reduce divorce rates!

SOME HIGHLIGHTS

CP 403: "WELL DRESSING" (watering holes dressed in flowers to honour God)
CP 343: "CLERGY CONFERENCE" (Vicars letting their hair down at a conference at Butlins)
56/57: "JUGGERNAUT" (Hindu Chariot Festival in Puri, Orissa)
56/85: "INDIA'S GUY FAWKES" (Dessehra Festival, which involves burning Demon King effigies)
66/45: "THE GREAT CRUSADER" (Billy Graham in London, 1966)
CP 176: "CHURCHES OF TOMORROW" (modern churches that are meant to attract the young)
EP 243: "SUNDAY BEST!" (smart 1932 churchgoers)
EP 244: "THE DANCE OF THE SNAKES" (Native American ritual filmed in 1932)
EP 297: "SEAMAN'S CHURCH" (evangelist preaches from his boat)
G 1048: "FERVOUR!" (African American baptism in Missouri River, 1924)
32/52: "A MIILION PEOPLE KNEEL IN WORSHIP"
32/88: "SHE WAS A WINE GOWERS DAUGHTER" (baptism of French girl)
37/71: "MEXICAN POLE DANCE" (a religious dance on the top of a pole…)
60/61: "WITNESSES BAPTISED IN BOURNEVILLE" (Jehovah's Witnesses, 1960)

KEYWORD: RELIGION