Feast of the Ascension - Wedding of the Sea
Venice marries the sea: the water procession, the ring toss, and the voga alla veneta regattas
About Feast of the Ascension
A Thousand Years of Connection with the Sea
The Feast of the Ascension (from the Venetian for Ascension) is one of the oldest and most symbolic events in Venice. Its origins date back to the year 1000, when Doge Pietro II Orseolo set out to aid the Dalmatian populations: from then on, the city linked Ascension Day to its dominion over the sea. Over time, the ceremony transformed into the Wedding of the Sea, the rite with which the Doge threw a gold ring into the water, uttering the formula: "We wed you, O sea, in sign of true and perpetual dominion.".
The Procession and the Wedding of the Sea
Even today, on Ascension morning, an imposing water procession led by the galley Serenissima departs from St. Mark's Basin and reaches the Lido Port Channel. Here, in front of the Church of San Nicolò del Lido, the Wedding of the Sea is renewed with the casting of the ring and the solemn formula of dominion. The celebration continues with the Ascension Mass presided over by the Patriarch.
The Regattas and Voga alla Veneta
The festival is also a major sporting event of the lagoon's rowing tradition: in the morning, regattas are held for young people on pupparini, women on mascarete, and men on four-oared gondolas. It is an opportunity to admire the voga alla veneta, an identity heritage of the city and the Veneto region, in a unique setting between San Marco and the Lido.
Feast of the Ascension — edition 2026
The Feast of the Ascension 2026 takes place on Sunday, May 17. The day begins with the ceremony of presenting the Doge's ring at Doge's Palace, continues with the water procession led by the Serenissima towards the Lido Port Channel, and culminates in the Wedding of the Sea in front of the Church of San Nicolò. In 2026, Venice dedicates the festival to Friuli, on the fiftieth anniversary of the 1976 earthquake, with a twinning ceremony with the municipality of Lusevera (UD).
Programme Feast of the Ascension 2026
Sunday, May 17, 2026
- 8:45 AM — Youth regatta on two-oared pupparini
- 9:15 AM — Ceremony of presenting the Doge's ring at Doge's Palace
- 9:45 AM — Women's regatta on two-oared mascarete
- 10:00 AM — Departure of the water procession led by the Serenissima from St. Mark's Basin towards the Lido Port Channel
- 10:30 AM — Men's regatta on four-oared gondolas
- Rite of the Wedding of the Sea in front of the Church of San Nicolò del Lido, with casting of the ring and solemn formula
- 11:15 AM — Ascension Mass in the Church of San Nicolò del Lido, presided over by the Patriarch
The 2026 edition is dedicated to Friuli with the twinning of the municipality of Lusevera (UD) for the 50th anniversary of the 1976 earthquake.
Highlights Feast of the Ascension 2026
Prices Feast of the Ascension 2026
Practical information — Feast of the Ascension
How to get there
By train to Venezia Santa Lucia, then take ACTV vaporetto towards San Marco and the Lido (San Nicolò stop). The procession and the Wedding of the Sea take place between St. Mark's Basin and the Lido Port Channel.
Tips
The best spots to witness the Wedding of the Sea are the San Nicolò area on the Lido and the banks of St. Mark's Basin. The regattas take place in the morning: it's advisable to arrive early.
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Where does it take place — Feast of the Ascension
Bacino di San Marco e Chiesa di San Nicolò del Lido
Bacino di San Marco e Bocca di Porto del Lido, 30126 Venezia