Marriage of the sea

Lo sposalizio del mare | © Archivio Cervia

When the people of Cervia began to celebrate this anniversary, the city was still near the salt pan. Legend has it that on Ascension Day in 1445, Bishop Pietro Barbo, returning by sea from an embassy in Venice, found himself involved in a bad storm, which he calmed by throwing his ring into the sea. 

Since then, The Marriage of the Sea has been repeated every year. On Ascension Sunday you can relive the atmosphere and traditions linked to this rite throughout the city. In the procession that starts from Piazza Garibaldi, ladies, lords, bishops and mayors dressed in sumptuous period clothing accompany the Archbishop of the Diocese of Ravenna and Cervia to throw the ring into the sea. 

On board a fishing boat, after having pronounced the ritual words, "...Bless these waters, the ships that ply them, the flight feathers, the helmsmen, the men, the goods...", the Archbishop launches the ring of my Cervia. Then the swimmers dive in to fish it out as a sign of good omen for the fishing and the upcoming tourist season.

In 1986, it was Pope John Paul II who celebrated the ceremony. To the old words of blessing, the Pope added new ones, addressed to men beyond the sea who love peace and harmony. And so my wedding became a symbol of eternal brotherhood between peoples. Today is the celebration that has been held for the longest time in Italy, an anniversary that is still very much felt by my inhabitants.

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