The Sensa Festival in Venice: a union of history and sea

The cultural importance of the Sensa for venetians and visitors

The Festa della Sensa is an event that celebrates the deep and very long relationship between Venice and the sea.
The city is in fact a natural membrane, urbanised over the centuries, separating the sea from the lagoon. Natural environments have always coexisted with anthropomorphic ones, the result of resilience and a great passion for creativity and artistic expression.

The Festa della Sènsa is a time to rekindle awareness of the Venetian identity, involving both residents and tourists in reflection and entertainment.

The sea is everything to this city, it is shelter and nourishment, wealth and resource. It has been the “route” to discover the world and to bring it back home in some form or another.

Flavours, art, knowledge: the sea has allowed it to flourish and enrich its cultural heritage.

Origins of the Festival: a journey through time

“Sènsa” is the Venetian term for Ascension, a Christian holiday that commemorates Jesus’ ascent to heaven forty days after his death and resurrection.

The correct date would be the Thursday after the fifth Sunday following Easter, which falls on May 9th.

In Italy, the celebration has been moved to Sunday, May 12th. So get ready to experience a moment of joy and celebration in Venice

This festival celebrates both the religious and commemorative aspects of two important dates in the history of Venice.

The first dates back to the 9th of May in the year 1000, when Pietro II Orseolo, Doge of Venice, intervened to protect the Venetian inhabitants and merchants from the attacks of the Narentan pirates, inaugurating the Venetian expansion in the Adriatic.

The other famous moment dates back to 1177, when Doge Sebastiano Ziani hosted the signing of the Peace of Venice between Pope Alexander III and Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, ending the long dispute between the Papacy and the Empire.

The tradition, rooted in Byzantine times, saw the Bishop of Olivolo (Castello district) bless the sea.

This rite became the Marriage to the Sea, a metaphor for the leading role that Venice played in the geopolitical balance.

The ceremony was attended by the Doge, witness to the symbolic union between the city and its sea.

Gabriele Bella, who lived between 1740 and 1782, is known for his detailed views, which are precious accounts of the customs of the Serenissima Republic.

The ‘Nuova fiera della Sensa’ tells us about the Sensa festival.

In Piazza San Marco, in an elliptical wooden structure with common goods on the outside and precious objects on the inside, merchants set up their stalls, attracting tourists and merchants all day long. It was also crowded with pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land.

The historical procession and the Sea Marriage Ritual

The highlight of the festival is the historic water parade that accompanies the Bucintoro through the various stages of the ritual.

In gratitude for the mediation resulting in the Peace of Venice in 1177, the Pope presented the city with a ring, a symbol of union, and blessed Venice as the “Queen of the Seas”. This act acknowledged the city’s stature as the third European power, following the Papacy and the Empire.

According to historical sources, the ceremony began with the celebration of the Eucharist in the Convent of St Helena. The Bishop and the Doge, boarded the ducal boat carrying holy water, salt and an olive branch used as an aspergillum. After pouring the holy water into the sea, the Doge threw the ring into the waves. Then they would disembark at the Lido for a religious procession to the church of San Nicola, patron saint of sailors.

Casting a ring into the sea is fundamentally a propitiatory ritual aimed at securing peace and prosperity, calm seas, and favorable winds, all of which are vital for safe sailing and flourishing trade.

In homage to the symbolic marriage with the sea, artist Roberto Kusterle crafted the installation “Le spose del mare” (The Brides of the Sea) in the Chinese Room of Caffè Florian, using photography to capture the enigma of this ritual.

These brides are ethereal beings, embodying not only Venice’s splendor but also the resilience that characterizes its storied past.

The Sensa Festival today: between tradition and contemporary celebration

Today, the festival may have lost some of its original religious and symbolic significance dating back to the 12th century, transforming into a public event that brings together Venetians and visitors from around the world.

The deeply rooted tradition of regattas continues. As in the past, boats from rowing associations escort the Serenissima bissona (the official boat of the authorities) to the harbor. There, the ritual formula is recited in Latin, and a ring is thrown into the Adriatic Sea, symbolizing the union with the sea.

The Mayor of Venice participates by tossing a laurel wreath into the sea, as a sign of respect for ancient customs and to emphasize the importance of this annual rite.

The event is an expression of love for the lagoon.

A festive day characterized by rowing races: pupparini and mascarete with two oars, and four-oared gondolas animate the bustling lagoon. Enthusiastic cheers from spectators support the rowers.

Mark your calendars for May 12th—this is undoubtedly an event not to be missed.

It provides an opportunity to immerse yourself in the millennial history of the Serenissima, its deep connection to the sea, and the practice of Voga alla Veneta.