Marriage of the sea

Lo sposalizio del mare | © Archivio Cervia

Lo sposalizio del mare | © Archivio Cervia

Lo sposalizio del mare | © Archivio Cervia

Lo sposalizio del mare | © Archivio Cervia

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.

Every year, the Marriage of the Sea becomes an opportunity to invite a city with which a special bond is created or renewed. The host city for 2025 is Pinzolo, linked to Cervia for a long time with a friendship cultivated throughout the year, so much so that Pinzolo, which has participated in the Cervia Garden City event for years, in winter gives Cervia the Christmas trees that decorate the central square and the town.

The programme of the 581st edition is spread over three days, from Friday 30 May to Sunday 1 June: history, culture, gastronomy and shows are the ingredients of the traditional festival so loved by the people of Cervia and appreciated by visitors and tourists. Rich and linked to tradition will be the programme on Ascension Sunday, Sunday 1 June. The day is dedicated to the eagerly awaited celebration of the ancient rite at sea and the challenge of ring fishing where the young people of Cervia compete for the ‘trophy’ that promises good luck and prosperity. Opening the day's packed programme will be the Trofeo dell'Anello (Ring Trophy), an archery tournament organised by the Cervia Group of Archers City of Rimini Seven Arrows, in Piazzale dei Salinari at 10 am.

Also for this edition, to allow the entire community to follow the ceremony at sea, the Municipal Administration plans to set up two giant screens, one in Piazza Garibaldi and one near the Tourist Port, on the D'Annunzio Promenade, where the event will be broadcast live on Facebook.

Program