The village was noted as
Ra in the 4th century AD by the Roman geographer
Rufus Festus Avienus. In the 6th century, the
archbishopric of Arles was active and created a monastery or church in the town, named St Mary, a favorite of the fishermen. The village became known as Notre-Dame-de-Ratis (Our Lady of the Boat—
Râ being used in
ratis, or boat) in reference to the three Marys arriving by boat. (Droit, 1963, 19). The name was later changed to Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer (Our Lady of the Sea, a synonym for the Virgin Mary). The current Church of the Saintes Maries de la Mer was built from the 9th to the 12th century, as a fortress and a refuge. It can be seen from 10 km away. It has a fresh water well inside, for when the villagers had to take shelter from raiders. In the 9th century, the town suffered raids from the Mediterranean Sea by the
Vikings and later from the
Saracens. In the 15th century, someone discovered the relics of
Mary of Clopas and
Mary Salome, who were said to have arrived there by sea (together with
Mary Magdalene). The 500th anniversary of this event was celebrated in the 20th century by
Pope John XXIII. In 1720, the town was spared by the
plague. During the anti-clerical fervor of the
French Revolution, the church was partially destroyed and the stones recycled. In 1838, the town was renamed
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, after the three Maries of its Catholic and local history. Shortly afterward, the pilgrimage (see below) was instituted. A narrow-gauge railway line to
Arles operated from 1892 until 1953. In 1888, Van Gogh made several paintings of the seascape and the town. In the early 20th century, the town was a literary and artistic center, with visits
inter alios from such figures as American writer
Ernest Hemingway and Spanish painter
Picasso. The vicinity was used as a setting for various films. Since the second half of the 20th century, the population has increased. Retired people and holiday accommodation largely supplanted the fishermen and farmers, with a corresponding political shift to the right in elections. ==Religion==