(Venice, Italy) One of the first articles I wrote for the International Herald Tribune's Italian supplement, Italy Daily, was about the Feast of Redentore, sixteen years ago. Over the years it seems that the amount of tourists who come here for the celebrations has increased, and the amount of Venetians who decorate their boats the old-fashioned way has decreased, otherwise it's the same as it ever was. I shot the video clip (above) last night (link: https://youtu.be/SewLn-aXSHg)
The weather was beautiful today, just like last year -- so today it's Redentore Flashback Summer:-)
Today is the Feast of Redentore in Venice! The Day in Pictures
After last night's spectacular fireworks display, today is the actual day of the Festa del Redentore, a purely Venetian holiday to give thanks for deliverance from the plague back in 1577.
You can read my previous thoughts about Redentore here:
Cat Bauer in Venice talks about the Festa del Redentore
Since
I have written about Redentore so often before, today is going to be a
visual post. It is a beautiful day here in Venice, clear and hot, with
throngs making their way over the floating bridge, their feet keeping
the beat to the chimes of the Redentore bells, as the sunshine dances on
the waves of the Giudecca Canal.
(Again, here is the link to the video, complete with bell chimes:
https://youtu.be/Vj543_j1SwM
(Again, here is the link to the video, complete with bell chimes:
https://youtu.be/Vj543_j1SwM
Everybody
was up late last night because the fireworks don't start until 11:30pm,
but that didn't seem to stop most folks from making the trek across to
the Island of Giudecca to pay their respects inside the Church of
Redentore, designed by the renowned architect, Andrea Palladio.
Once
across the bridge, at the entrance of the church there are baskets full
of shawls to toss across your shoulders if they are bare.
Inside,
the church is all decked out for the special Votive Mass of the
Redeemer, celebrated by the patriarch, as has been done for centuries.
Trays of candles flicker expressions of thanks.
Redentore Bridge - Giudecca view |
This
is the view of Venice from the entrance to the Church of Redetore. To
arrive at the top, 15 spiritually-significant steps must climbed. The
bridge stretching across the canal all the way to Venice reinforces the
importance of the celebration.
One of my favorite things to play is Pesca di Beneficenza,
fishing for charity, or a lucky dip. You pay a euro,and a volunteer
(or, today, a Capuchin friar, the Order in charge of the Church of
Redentore) spins the barrel, and hands you a small, rolled-up scroll
with a number or a word on it. Then you go inside to collect your
winnings.
Everybody
plays, young and old, boys and girls, men and women, and everybody wins
something. If you draw a specific number, you get a specific prize, or
else you get a grab bag kind of treasure. In the past, I have won some
very useful items, like wooden stirring spoons, or a pad and pencil.
Today
my scroll said "tigre," or "tiger." Apparently, that was the
designation for a type of grab bag. A boy about 12-years-old took my
opened scroll, scurried away, and brought back a colorful bag tied by a
pink bow.
Here is what was inside my bag of loot, which I'm sure I would find very useful if I were a 12-year-old girl:
Meanwhile,
the rowing regatta out on the Giudecca Canal captivated spectators on
land and water. After all, what would a celebration in Venice be without
a rowing regatta?
It
was a beautiful, peaceful day inside the cocoon of the Venice lagoon --
something greatly appreciated, especially when much of the outside
world seems stricken by turbulence.
Ciao from the Festa del Redentore in Venice,
Ciao from the Festa del Redentore in Venice,
Cat Bauer
Over the years it seems that the amount of tourists who come here for the celebrations has increased, and the amount of Venetians who decorate their boats the old-fashioned way has decreased, otherwise it's the same as it ever was
ReplyDeleteand 2 handcrafted armband for my grand daughter (5) so happy ! did you see 3 nice nuns winning little bottle of rosé prosecco ,
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