Blessed Goats: On the Melding of Church and Cheese in Rocamadour, France
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Abstract
Rocamadour, France, is a beautiful geographic location, a centuries-old place of pilgrimage, and a region known for a specific goat cheese, also known as Rocamadour. Rocamadour cheese, which was granted AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) status in 1996, is made using the ancient technique of clotting full fat raw milk via a natural whey starter. The resulting disks of strong-flavored Cabécou-type cheese are one of the small commune’s claims to fame. Rocamadour’s association with cheese has inspired an annual Festival of Cheeses, held in June of each year. While its cheese festival and tourism in general are what draw most of Rocamadour’s visitors, its historical identity as a site of religious pilgrimage has begun to fade. This article examines an effort made by the clergy of Rocamadour to strengthen the shrine town’s religious status by forging links between pilgrimage, the herding of sheep and goats, and the annual Festival of Cheeses, focusing on a Rogation ceremony conducted during the Festival in 2007.
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