Festa della Sensa 2025: the eternal bond with the sea

Among the most fascinating traditions of the Serenissima, the Festa della Sensa is the event that best tells the thousand-year history of Venice and its inseparable connection with the sea. Every year, on the occasion of Christ’s Ascension, the city relives the ancient Marriage of the Sea, a symbolic celebration that reaffirms Venice’s dominion over the waters and its deep relationship with navigation and the Voga alla Veneta tradition. In 2025, the event will take place on Sunday, June 1, once again renewing this historic bond.

The Origins of the Festa della Sensa

The roots of the Festa della Sensa go deep into the history of the Republic of Venice, commemorating two key events:

• On May 9, 1000, Doge Pietro II Orseolo led a naval expedition to liberate Dalmatian populations threatened by the Slavs, strengthening Venice’s maritime power.
• In 1177, under Doge Sebastiano Ziani, Venice hosted the meeting between Pope Alexander III and Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, resulting in a peace treaty between the Papacy and the Empire.
   

These historical events gave rise to a solemn ritual, originally religious and propitiatory, which evolved over the centuries into the grand spectacle we know today.

The Marriage of the Sea: A Ritual Renewed Each Year

At the heart of the Festa della Sensa is the Marriage of the Sea ceremony, where the Doge of Venice, accompanied by a magnificent procession of boats, blessed the waters and threw a gold ring into the Adriatic, pronouncing the words:

Desponsamus te mare. In signum veri perpetuique dominii.
(We wed thee, O sea, as a sign of true and perpetual dominion.)

The Doge wore a rich gold mantle with an ermine collar, red stockings, and golden shoes, and boarded the Bucintoro, the grand ceremonial vessel of the Republic. The ceremony began with a Mass at the Monastery of Sant’Elena, continued with the blessing of the sea by the Bishop of Castello, who used an olive branch as an aspergillum, and culminated in the symbolic throwing of the ring into the water.

Once ashore at the Lido, the Doge participated in a religious procession to the Church of San Nicolò, the protector of sailors.

The Festa della Sensa Today: Tradition and Spectacle in the Lagoon

Today, the Festa della Sensa remains one of the city’s most cherished events. The celebration is organized by the Festa della Sensa Committee, with support from the Coordinamento delle Associazioni Remiere di Voga alla Veneta. The most spectacular moment is the waterborne procession, which departs from Piazza San Marco and reaches the Lido.

Leading the procession is the Serenissima, the boat carrying the Mayor of Venice and other city officials, who perform the traditional throwing of the ring into the lagoon.

Among the additional events of the Festa della Sensa are:

• Rowing regattas and competitions, celebrating the ancient art of Venetian rowing.
• Official ceremonies and historical reenactments, with participants in period costumes.
• Traditional performances and community gatherings, creating an even more engaging atmosphere.
   

The Festa della Sensa 2025 program is still being finalized, but as always, a spectacular event is guaranteed.

If you want to experience a unique tradition and immerse yourself in Venice’s thousand-year history, the Festa della Sensa is an unmissable event.