BELIEVING in 9.3 (France)

Arrived with prejudices of which he does not hide, Michael Bunel, at the time member of the agency CIRIC, explored during several months the Seine Saint-Denis, bringing an original and demanding testimony on the department. A territory is a story, and it is through that of the diocese of Saint-Denis, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2016 that the photographer's objective has arisen. Michael Bunel captured snapshots of life and unveiled on this occasion the amazing diversity of initiatives carried by the Christian community. The state of the art is there and the photos speak for themselves, vibrant with authenticity, a work that echoes the living writing of Romane Ganneval, a young journalist, who followed suit on the way to meetings .
Claude Ganter, CIRIC agency manager

At the departure of the Frat at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, a young pilgrim sports an American basketball jersey flocked ‟JESUS O1‟. The FRAT (diminutive of Fraternity) is a pilgrimage to Lourdes dating from 1908, established by the bishops of Ile de France. This year, nearly 10,000 young people are found in Lourdes. St Denis. March 27, 2016

A Roma child concentrates on his end-of-school assessment in a School Truck (mobile school unit). In the 16th century, Brother Jean-Baptiste La Salle trained teachers with the idea of giving lessons to street children. Today, school trucks are a gateway for children from slums to stable schooling. Saint Ouen. March 22, 2016

A group of young people going to Mass during the first edition of FestiJeunes. Feast organized for all young people from the chaplaincy, teaching and Catholic movements of Seine-Saint-Denis. Vaujours.26 June 2016

Two young people discuss rugby with the priest of the city of Bondy-Nord during one of the street cafes of Thursday morning, organized by the association ‟the Rock, oasis of the cities‟. Literacy classes, help with homework or out-of-school outings, the association works to live together. Over the years, it has become a place of intercultural and interreligious meeting and sharing. Bondy. June 8, 2016

A young catechumen from the Tamil community of Blanc Mesnil receives the sacrament of baptism. Six percent of the world's Tamil population is Christian compared to fifteen percent in Seine Saint Denis. White Mesnil. March 27, 2016

Lionel, a youth from the parish of Drancy, explains to the faithful his approach to establish a dialogue between parishioners and prisoners of the prison of Villepinte. Drancy. April 2, 2016

First catechism session for the young people of the Chinese community of Pantin in the parish of St. Martha of the Four Paths. This year, the number of children enrolled is enough to allow volunteers to run catechism classes. Puppet. May 8, 2016

Three children of choir advance towards the altar during the Mass of Thursday Holy. The cultural diversity of the Seine Saint Denis was created following the various waves of immigration becoming over the years one of the aspects of the department's identity. It is commonly understood that there are more than 130 different nationalities in the department. Aubervilliers. May 8, 2016

Three Buddhist nuns from the community of Aulnay-sous-Bois calling for a moment of meditation at the annual interfaith diocesan meeting. Muslims, Catholics, Orthodox, Jews, Buddhists and Sikhs were gathered around the theme of ‟interreligious dialogue in 2016, why, for whom? ‟. Bondy. Bondy. 3 April 2016

The faithful of the parish of Raincy prepare to receive the Eucharist during the mass of the branches. Exceptional figure in the department with some other cities, Le Raincy, denotes by the little cultural diversity represented within the parish. March 20, 2016

Members of the Muslim community of the ‟city of 4000‟ attended the inauguration of the chapel of Emmanuel just renovated. The project was carried out by integration associations. Over the years, the parish has become a place of multicultural gathering and believers of all faiths come to gather there. The Courneuve. May 25, 2016

Before getting on the train to Lourdes, young people (15 to 18 years old) dance and sing on the platforms of the Montparnasse station. This year, the eight dioceses of Ile-de-France have gathered more than 10,000 young people in Lourdes. Paris. April 24, 2016

On the forecourt of Raincy Church, at the end of Palm Sunday Mass, a family of Syrian refugees thanks the priest. They found housing on their arrival thanks to the parish network. Behind them, a soldier from the sentinel operation stands guard. The Raincy. March 20, 2016

Residents of the city of 4000 pass in front of the chapel of Emmanuel just renovated. The project was carried out by integration associations. Over the years, the parish has become a place of multicultural gathering and believers of all faiths come to gather there. The Courneuve. May 25, 2015

Members of the Chinese community of Saint Martha of the Four Paths in full harnessing during the Our Father. This parish, recognizing the Holy See is thus distinguished from the patriotic church, affiliated with the Chinese state and is therefore considered ‟clandestine‟ by the party. Mass is also given in Mandarin from the beginning to the end of the service. Puppet. May 8, 2016

End of Mass at Villepinte prison. The detainees take advantage of this to talk to the chaplain. Every Sunday, about 100 inmates attend the ceremony, almost 10 percent of the prison population. Detainees, chaplains and prison staff agree that this is one of the moments when there is relative calm in the prison. Villepinte. March 22, 2016

Discussion between the imam of Clichy-sous-Bois and a representative of the Sikh community during the annual interfaith diocesan meeting. Muslims, Catholics, Orthodox, Jews, Buddhists and Sikhs were gathered around the theme of ‟interreligious dialogue in 2016, why, for whom? ‟. Bondy. 3 April 2016

Small party on the occasion of the priest's birthday at the Neuilly-sur-Marne psychiatric hospital. Every Wednesday, about twenty patients attend the office. A very concrete approach to the gospel is favored avoiding any mystical delirium and allowing a ‟reframing‟ of patients in their beliefs. Neuilly-sur-Marne. June 01, 2016

A team of the Jeunesse Ouvrière Chrétienne (JOC) waved a banner during a demonstration against ‟Labor Law‟. 13th district. The YCW is an association of young Christians from the world of work, founded in Brussels in 1925. It is recognized among the main associations of popular education. Paris. July 9, 2016

Moment of the peace of Christ for a family of Iraqi origin, during the closing Mass of the Camp Bible. Pavilion undergrowth. Pavilion under Wood. July 17, 2016

One of the thirty families benefiting from the assistance program proposed by the family allowance fund (CAF), is preparing to pay for purchases at the Solidarity Grocery. This system allows families to repay rent, electricity or gas debts by paying only 10 percent of the total basket for an average of 3 to 4 months. The grocery store has been in existence for 20 years. Clichy under Wood. June 30, 2016

May 14, 2016: Four hundred college students from the diocese walk to Mont-Saint-Michel during a 7 km crossing of the Pentecost weekend. The young pilgrims walk for more than three hours in the water and mud to join the mountain and its abbey and participate in the service. The first pilgrimages to Mont St Michel would date from the 9th century. Normandy.

Detainees hold hands at the time of the Our Father at the Sunday Mass at the Villepinte prison. Every Sunday, a hundred or so inmates attend the ceremony, almost 10% of the prison population. Detainees, chaplains and prison staff agree that this is one of the moments when there is relative calm in the prison. Villepinte. March 22, 2016

Father Bernard Fèvre, former worker priest, in an abandoned factory in Aubervilliers.
Aubervilliers. July 2016