The Festa della Sensa (Celebration of the Ascension) 05.06.2011

Sunday, June 5, 2011

This was a celebration of the Venetian Republic to mark the day of Ascension of Christ (Sensa in Venetian dialect).

The Marriage of the Sea is also celebrated on this occasion.

Established around 1000 AD, this ceremony consisted in the solemn procession of boats with the Doge’s vessel at the head (the Bucintoro since 1253), that left the lagoon via the port mouth of the Lido. Here, in the waters behind the church dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, a prayer would be said so “the sea may be calm and tranquil for us and all sailors”; the Doge and the others were then solemnly sprinkled with holy water, the remains of which would then be poured into the sea while the priests intoned Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor; the Doge then dropped a consecrated ring into the sea with the words “I wed thee, Sea. As a sign of true, perpetual domination”, thus declaring Venice and the sea indissolubly united, and highlighting her power of the Adriatic Sea.

Today the celebration with the ceremony of the Marriage with the sea is still very popular with the Venetians who follow the procession of ancient boats in their own, to witness the marriage of the lands taken at sea but that will always be indissolubly united for better and for worst.