ST. MARTINVILLE — As the church bells tolled solemnly Monday night over St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church, Teche Area residents inside bowed their heads in remembrance of the exile of their Acadian ancestors in 1755 from present day Nova Scotia.

Brenda Comeaux Trahan, curator director of the Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville, said July 28 was proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth II as a day that “the world should pause to remember the suffering of the Acadians.” She organized the event with that thought in mind.

Trahan said Warren Perrin, president of CODIFIL, “worked tirelessly to garner an acknowledgment from the Queen hoping to symbolically declare an end to the Acadian exile with a proclamation signed in 2003.”

The Rev. Doug Courville, monsignor, left, recites the Hail Mary Monday in French. -- Holly Leleux-Thubron Advertisement

Dr. Shane Bernard, curator historian for the McIlhenny Co., was a keynote speaker at the event, which began with prayers in Latin and French inside what Trahan said is the “mother church of the Acadian people.”

Bernard said Acadians in Nova Scotia were forced to give an unconditional oath of allegiance to the British Crown in 1755 and when they refused, were forced out of their homes and loaded on ships to faraway lands. He said British soldiers arrested the Acadians, often with violent treatment.

“British troops claimed they tried to keep families together,” Bernard said. “But many were broken and would never meet again. This event has shaken the identity of Acadian people and their descendants for centuries to come. The expulsion of the Acadians came to be known as the great upheaval. What happened to our ancestors can be compared to modern day ethnic cleansing or genocide.”

Following the prayer service, those in attendance fell in line behind The Rev. Doug Courville, monsignor, enduring foreboding gray skies and oppressive humidity for a solemn procession to the Acadian Memorial Deportation Meditation Garden.

James Akers, a docent at the Acadian Memorial for eight years, said he had mixed feelings about the day’s event.

“We haven’t heard Latin in church in years,” he said. “It brought me to tears, and back to my childhood.”

Akers serves as the front line of the push to ensure the Acadians a place in history.

“There is certainly an interest in this story by people that visit here,” he said.

“Each year you see the interest grow larger and larger.”

Patricia Resweber, a co-founder of the Acadian Memorial, attended the event.

“I think it is an important role for the memorial to lead the way in developing ways that we can pay tribute to our heritage,” she said.

Jane G. Bulliard, also a co-founder of the Acadian Memorial, said it is extremely important to keep the memory of their ancestors and their history alive.

The commemorative ceremony ended, as many people wiped the sweat from their brows, as they entered the air conditioned memorial building where a light reception awaited.

Almost as soon as everyone was inside, rain fell in what many, including Trahan, felt was a great blessing.

“This ceremony is a tribute to the Acadians like none other that I have ever been to,” Trahan said.

“I am always moved to tears and today, with the rain, it’s as if the heavens, our ancestors, are blessing us with holy water.”