On Saturday 31st May and on Sunday 1st June the annual fabulous marriage of Venice with the sea.
Every year, at the end of May,
Venice celebrates his love and close relationship with the sea in a
symbolic marriage ceremony where the lagoon city, represented by the mayor and the patriarch, throws a golden ring into the water to celebrate the union between the city and the sea. This is '
Festa della Sensa', an ancient celebration that used to be held by the Venetian Republic on
the day of Christ's Ascension ('Sensa' is actually the Venetian dialect word for ascension). Every year on that day the Doge on his state barge, the Bucintoro, sailed to Sant'Elena. The Bishop was waiting to bless him on a boat with gilt sides and to emphasise the Serenissima Republic's dominion over the sea, the Festival culminated with a kind of propitiatory rite: the Doge threw a gold ring into the water.
Since 1965 Venice has began to celebrate again the Ascension Day with a magnificent
water parade of traditional rowing boats from San Marco to Lido leaded by the "
Serenissima" boat, a unique experience to take part. Today the event has become a great moment in the heart of venetian people being the festival of the city itself and a way to bring to life its thousand years history and traditions.
The suggestive celebration is followed by a
rich programme of collateral events (
free entrance).
Among those the
Venice Wind Art (the Kite International Festival) will take place
from 28th May to 1st June.
From
17pm of Saturday 31st May,
Fondamenta della Misericordia will be the special setting for a public art event where venetian inhabitants will interact with the contemporary artistic expressions.
On the other hand, from
19.30 the
Arsenale will host an incredible performance of body painting, the 7th event organised by '
Venice Revealed'.
Last but not least, on the same day the atmosphere of this venetian tradition is intensified by the '
Concert for the Festa della Sensa' that will delight you from
20pm at the
Ateneo Veneto.
For more details about the event and the programme visit the
website.
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