The annual Fete Dieu du Teche is back on Bayou Teche this August. Traveling from Leonville to St. Martinville, the annual boat procession will follow the traditional route along Bayou Teche with several stops along the way.
 Image by Fete Dieu du Teche
|  Image by Tracie Ysaguire Fete Dieu du Teche 2018, Lafayette |
The event is held annually to simultaneously commemorate the arrival of the Acadians in our area and celebrate the Feast Day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which is honored by the Catholic Church and thousands of families in the Acadiana area. August 15 is also recognized as National Acadian Day, making the Fete Dieu du Teche celebration an event that brings the Catholic faith to life along the bayou and incorporates their faithful practices with the community while honoring the arrival of the Acadians to our area over 250 years ago.
Last year the procession took their celebration to the Baton Rouge area and traveled along in the Mississippi River in what was donned Fete Dieu du Mississippi. In 2023, the 100+ boat procession started in Franklin and ended in New Iberia with stops in Baldwin, Charenton, and Jeanerette for the first time ever since its inception in 2015.
 Image by Tracie Ysaguire Fete Dieu du Teche, Lafayette, 2018 |
In 2018 while still living in the Lafayette area, I decided to experience this event for myself. That year, the procession took place in the Vermilion River rather than Bayou Teche and concluded at the boat launch in Beaver Park near Vermilionville in Lafayette. I was not sure what to expect since I was born and raised in New Orleans and had never experienced a true pilgrimage like this. I decided to pack some water and a few snacks and for my then eleven year old twins and head to the boat landing in Beaver Park to experience this Cajun tradition myself.
Since it was the middle of August, to say it was a hot day does not nearly describe the intense heat we experienced, however it didn't seem to affect the hundreds of folks who were lined up with us near the boat landing. I watched several groups of students and teachers from Catholic and private schools in the area line up along the park to wait for the arrival of the boat procession and the benediction that was scheduled to take place. In the Catholic faith, benediction is a service for the devout to gather for prayer, blessings, and acknowledge the presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. It is a standard part of the Catholic faith during the mass and other holy days as marked by Catholics. Once the boat procession arrived with the monstrance, the crowd seemingly grew. There was hardly an open spot to stand in.
After the benediction and prayer, the group of faithful believers started the walk to the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Lafayette. Even in the middle of the heat and moans of exhaustion from the crowd, you could hear a pin drop. Other than a few honks of a car horn or lightly muttered prayers, there was true stillness all around us.
 Image by Tracie Ysaguire Fete Dieu du Teche, 2018 Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Lafayette |
Organizers are excited to bring the The Fete Dieu du Teche, or The Fete as locals may refer to it, back to their normal route along Bayou Teche this year. The procession will begin at 8:00 am with a French Mass at St. Leo the Great in Leonville. From there, along their typical route, the procession will head out at 9:30 am to travel Bayou Teche with stops at specific churches along the way in these cities and towns:
- Arnaudville, St. Francis Regis, 232 Main Street, 10:20 am
- Cecilia, St. Joseph, 2250 Cecilia High School Highway, 11:45 am
- Breaux Bridge, St. Bernard, 204 N Main Street, 1:35 pm
- Parks, Cecil R. Poche Memorial Park,1019 Periou Street, 3:15 pm
To be a part of this annual pilgrimage simply make plans to meet the congregation at one of the stops along the way or pick your favorite spot along Bayou Teche to watch the boat procession as they travel the bayou. You can add also be a part of the boat procession by registering with the Fete Dieu du Teche online.
The entire procession will disembark around 4:45 pm in St. Martinville and then proceed to Notre Dame Catholic Church for benediction. They will then continue the pilgrimage to St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in downtown St. Martinville. The final part of the tour will continue down Main Street in St. Martinville, to Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel, a community retreat facility that offers guided and silent retreats for men, women, and married couples who are seeking solace and guidance in their spiritual life.
I must say this was one of the most amazing spiritual experiences of my life. Even if you are not a member of the Catholic faith, I highly recommend anyone interested in experiencing this first-hand or learning more about the Cajun culture make plans to attend the Fete Dieu du Teche this August along Bayou Teche. It truly offers all attendees a time of reverence and recollection for anyone seeking spiritual peace.
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