The patron saint and protector of the village of Félines-Minervois for the past 149 years (2005) has been Saint Sébastien.

In 1856, the region was ravaged by a cholera epidemic which caused a great number of deaths. Despair and fear entered the hearts of all the inhabitants of Félines.

Saint Sébastien was born in Narbonne, studied in Milan and went on to a military career in the service of the Emperor Dioclétien. Dioclétien continued the tradition of his predecessors as far the bloody persecution of Christians was concerned. Although a loyal soldier, Sébastien was also a christian and did what he could to protect his fellows from imprisonment and torture. He was eventually denounced and condemned to death. Attached to a tree and shot by Dioclétien's moorish archers, he was left for dead. His body was recovered after dark by a widow named Irène and Sébastien was found, miraculously, to be still living.

So it seemed quite natural for the population of Félines to pray to Saint Sébastien in 1856 for the protection of the village which was then spared the worst of the cholera epidemic. The grateful village fathers promised to celebrate solemnly each year on 20th January the festival of Saint Sébastien and declared him to be the protector of the village.

This promise is respected to our days and each year, a Mass is celebrated at 10am to be followed by a precession. Most years, the village fete committee organises a secular celebration as well in the form of a Lotto.