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Something I find so fascinating is the religious tolerance on this Island. There is such a diversity of religions, coexisting in harmony. It's easy to find a church next to a Hindu temple, or a Chinese pagoda next to a mosque.
I love seeing the Tamil temples resplendent with colours, something I’ve never actually witnessed before. In fact I was lucky enough to go inside one a part of Diwali! From speaking to some locals, I learnt that Hinduism arrived with workers from southern India in the mid-nineteenth century, yet nowadays it's quite possibly one of the most prominent religions on the island, since there are Hindu temples every 5 minutes.
The abundance of mosques are also present especially in Saint-Denis, Saint-Pierre and Saint-Louis. A visit to the mosque of Saint-Denis allowed me to discover that it was built in 1905 by the Indo-Muslim community, and it is the oldest mosque in France.
I’ve also been able to learn about Pagodas, and how they allow Chinese islanders, often from the Canton region, to practise the cult of their ancestors, while having sometimes embraced the catholic religion.
There is also a presence of Catholicism on the island, which, when passed on a Sunday I’ve seen crowded with people singing hymns. To me this represents the huge sense of community on the island. I managed to visit the church of Sainte-Anne where i was able to appreciate the semi-baroque architecture.
I also visited the Notre-Dame des Laves in Sainte Rose, which is fascinating because it was surrounded by lava from the 1997 volcano eruption, yet it was the only building that survived. There's something quite eery about this church, but also miraculous.
On my visit to the little village of Salazie, I was also astounded to see a beautiful cathedral.
I’ve also noticed many road-side altars dedicated to a saint called Saint-Expédit. Some as small as a box containing a small statue of the saint, or as large as a hut, containing multiple statues, candles, and flowers. In all cases, these altars are painted a bright red. Having never heard of this saint, I did some research. Stories about the origin of his veneration follow the typical formula: a mysterious parcel marked with expedit arrived as an aid to instill pious virtues in the people. Another version says that Expédit acquired his name through his help in placing vengeful curses. However the cult of Saint Expédit has been syncretic on the island and though these shrines are well maintained (they always have fresh flowers and candles), it is never seen to have people worshiping it during the day.
Since there is such a diversity in religions, there are also a large number of religious festivals celebrated in La Réunion. For example; firewalking, Dipavali (or Diwali; the festival of light), Chinese New Year, Festival of Guan Di, Cavadee, "Fêt Caf" on 20 December and Liberté Métisse (abolition of slavery). In fact I was lucky enough to visit Saint-André during Diwali!
