Saut-d'Eau

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Saut-d'Eau
native_name = "Sodo"
settlement_type = Municipality
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = left
pushpin_map_caption = Location in Haiti
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name =
subdivision_type1 = Department
subdivision_name1 = Centre
subdivision_type2 = Arrondissement
subdivision_name2 = Mirebalais
area_total_km2 =
population_as_of = date|7 August 2003
population_footnotes = ["Institut Haïtien de Statistique et d'Informatique" (IHSI)]
population_total = 34,885
population_density_km2 =
latd=18 |latm=49 |lats=0 |latNS=N
longd=72 |longm=12 |longs=0 |longEW=W
elevation_m = 233

Saut-d'Eau (Creole: "Sodo") is a municipality in the Mirebalais Arrondissement, in the Centre Department of Haiti.It has 34,885 inhabitants.

It's name is French for 'waterfall', named after a large waterfall called 'Le Saut'. The area holds cultural significance in Haiti, to both Catholic and Vodou practicioners. In the 19th century, it's believed that the Virgin Mary (or the closely associated Vodou Lwa, Erzulie) appeared on a palm tree there. A French priest, afraid of the superstition this would inspire, cut the tree down, but it nonetheless became an important religious destination for Haitians, akin to the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico.

Annually, the falls are the site of a large, important religious pilgrimage, during the festival of Our Lady of Carmel, from June 7 to the 16th. A Eucharistic rite is held during the festival, as well as various vodou rituals, but the penultimate devotional activity is bathing in the waters of the falls, and asking favors of the Virgin or Erzulie.

References

[http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/haiti/story/610687.html Miami Herald, 2008]
[http://www.wehaitians.com/haitians%20seek%20saint%20and%20spirit%20pilgrimage%20blends%20vodou%20catholic%20rites.html Miami Herald, 2003, via We Haitians]
[http://sautdeauinfo.com/ Sautdeauinfo.com]