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Bridging the boats to keep a promise

Festa del Redentore (Feast of the Redeemer)

Figure 1: Map of Venice, Italy provided by Artem Kholodenko
globalzona.com
accessed: 10-14-04

 

Abstract

Festa del Redentore is a ritual celebration performed in Venice , Italy . It originated from the plague in 1575 in which a desperate government looked to God for help. They promised that if he saved them, they would build a church in his honor and attend it every third Sunday of July. When the plague ended, Venice created the Il Redentore church on the Guidecca Island and began a tradition of obeying this promise. This was done by bridging boats together and walking across the canal to reach the church, which also allows the participants to come together in social solidarity.

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  Fireworks on the water during the Redentore Festival (Festa del Redentore)

Figure 2: The boats are bridged together to make the trip across the Guidecca Canal, provided by Venice Guide, www.veniceguide.com 
accessed: 10-14-04

Figure 3: Fireworks are enjoyed on the water the night before The Feast of the Redeemer, provided by Michele Levis,
www.cheapvenice.com
accessed: 9-17-04

Introduction

As a predominantly Roman Catholic country, a large majority of Italy 's celebrations originate out of religious practices and beliefs. Venice , Italy follows this practice with their ritual of Festa del Redentore (Feast of the Redeemer). This celebration is a ritual re-creation of a historical event in which participants journey across the Guidecca canal to Il Reddentore church (see Figure 2) for mass, due to a promise to God made by the Senate in 1576 (Hendrick and Thompson 1997). Festa del Redentore reinforces cultural standards while at the same time allowing citizens to test these standards through a common bond that downplays their social stratification (Turner 1982).

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Context of Festa del Redentore

Italy is located in Europe and extends out into the Mediterranean Sea (see Figure 1). The climate is “predominately Mediterranean” (Central Intelligence Agency 2004). The population is approximately 58,057,477 and it is an agricultural and industrial society (Central Intelligence Agency 2004). Italy 's formation as a unified country developed over a long period of time (Drost 1995). Throughout history the nation was divided by different ownership and only in 1861 was it established as a united country by King Emmanuel II (Drost 1995). However, the nation went through troubled times again during the 1920's when Benito Mussolini created a Fascist dictatorship and was defeated in World War II (Central Intelligence Agency 2004). In 1946 the monarchy was abolished and the parliamentary republic form of government used today was created (Drost 1995).

Venice is located along the coast of the Adriatic Sea and was first founded on April 25, 42 1 AD (Italy Weekly 2004). However, it wasn't until July 10, 13 10 that the Venetian constitution was passed (Italy Weekly 2004). Throughout its history, Venice has encountered three plagues (Italy Weekly 2004) but the one that relates to Festa del Redentore began in 1575 and lasted for two years (Freitas Jr. 1999). During this time, “a third or more of the city's population died of plague” (Freitas Jr. 1999). This was a very hard time for Venice and is reflected in the performance of this celebration.

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Origins of Festa del Redentore

During the 1575 plague, Venice was desperate for a means to end the terrible epidemic. As a very religious-oriented Republic, the Senate promised God that they would build a church in his honor if he stopped the plague (VeniceWord International 1999). The architect Andrea Palladio (VeniceWord International 1999) began the church that was dedicated to the Redeemer, Il Redentore , on the Guidecca Island (Henderson and Thompson 1997). When the church was finished, the people vowed that they would visit it every year on the third Sunday in July (VeniceWord International 1999). This tradition has continued and is now what is known as the Festa del Redentore or the Feast of the Redeemer.

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Performance

On the eve of the third Sunday in July, pontoon boats are placed together to form a bridge to the Guidecca Island where Il Redentore is (see Figure 2) (Henderson and Thompson 1997). People are able to travel to and from the church throughout the day (Henderson and Thompson 1997), though masses are given only at certain times (Shemanski 1985). “Services inside the Church of the Redeemer, which include Masses commemorating the redeeming power of Jesus, are quite solemn in comparison to what is going on outside” (see Figure 4) (Henderson and Thompson 1997:352).

 

Outside, barges and all types of boats fill the canal with musicians and other performers on them, as well as boats filled with spectators (Shemanski 1985). As night begins to fall, the city is filled with decorative lights; they can be found on “the cafes, shops, canals, and the church” (Henderson and Thompson 1997:352). Later that night there are two “spectacular fireworks display[s]” (see Figure 3) (Shemanski 1985:121). After these displays, the boats disperse among the canal in private festivities until about dawn (VeniceWord International 1999). At this time, the boats go out to the Lido to watch the sun rise over the Adriatic Sea (Hendrick and Thompson 1997).

 

The following Sunday, the actual day of Festa del Redentore , is a much more somber and serious celebration. In the morning “clergy, city officials, dignitaries, and standard-bearers with multicolored flags, costumed torchbearers, and crowds of people” cross the bridged boats for a final mass (Shemanski 1985:121). This illustrates the fact that Festa del Redentore is a ritual celebration based on re-creating the citizens' historical past.

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Artifact

Figure 4: A look at the inside of the Church of the Redeemer (Il Redentore), where the more serious masses take place.

Provided by Pikanta, www.pikanta.de, accessed: 10-14-04.

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Interpretation

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Prognosis for [name of celebration]

This celebration has very deep historical roots for Venetian citizens. Not only does it justify their strong following of the Roman Catholic faith, but it also allows them to remember the fact that though there may be social stratification outside of this celebration, they all share a common history in which they were able to come together and fight a disastrous plague. Therefore, “ The Redentore is one of the Venetians' most treasured festivities” (Comune di Venezia 2004) and will not diminish. In fact, its popularity is increasing due to the interest of tourists in the historical celebration and “the spectacular firework display in the evening” (Comune di Venezia 2004).

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Conclusion

Festa del Redentore was created at a time of great sadness and disease. From that gloomy historical beginning, it has grown into an opportunity for joyous celebration. Citizens forget their stresses and worries and for two days participate in the great bond of communitas . No one is left out, as everyone works together to form the bridged boats, to hang the decorative lights, and to worship their common ancestral and legendary past. Social standards are both tested by playful gestures outside of the church and reinforced by the final, somber mass. This celebration provides both solidarity within the city and reinforces the capabilities available if everyone works together. Festa del Redentore , then, serves not only as a celebration, but also as a “safety net” for citizens; no matter what terrible things may confront them, they will face it together.

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Internet References Cited

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Peer-Reviewed References Cited

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    1979      Ritual and Social Power. In The Spectrum of Ritual: A Biogenetic Structural Analysis , pp. 249-279. Columbia University Press, New York .

  • d'Aquili, Eugene and Charles D. Laughlin, Jr.

    1979      The Neurobiology of Myth and Ritual. In The Spectrum of Ritual: A Biogenetic Structural Analysis , pp. 152-182. Columbia University Press, New York.

  • Dorson, Richard M.

    1982      Material Components in Celebration. In Celebration: Studies in Festivity and Ritual , edited by Victor Turner, pp. 33-57. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington.

  • Drost, Harry

    1995     What's What and Who's Who in Europe . Simon and Schuster, New York.

  • Freitas Jr., Robert A.

    1999     Nanomedicine, Volume I: Basic Capabilities . Landes Bioscience, Georgetown . Electronic document, http://www.nanomedicine.com/NMI/1.2.1.7.htm , accessed October 14, 2004 .

    This is simply a published text that has been placed on the internet for viewing.

  • Gradante, William J.

    1986      The Message in the Mask: Costuming in the Festival Context. In The Many Faces of Play , edited by Kendall Blanchard, pp. 172-186. Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc., Champaign.

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    1997     Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary, 2nd Edition . Omnigraphics, Inc.

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    1979      Ritual and Stress. In The Spectrum of Ritual: A Biogenetic Structural Analysis , pp. 280-317. Columbia University Press, New York.

  • Laughlin, Jr., Charles D., John McManus, and Eugene G. d'Aquili

    1979      Introduction. In The Spectrum of Ritual: A Biogenetic Structural Analysis , pp. 1-50. Columbia University Press, New York.

  • Manning, Frank E.

    1983      Cosmos and Chaos: Celebration in the Modern World. In The Celebration of Society: Perspectives on Contemporary Cultural Performance , edited by Frank E. Manning, pp. 3-30. Bowling Green University Popular Press, Bowling Green.

  • Miracle, Jr., Andrew W.

    1986      Voluntary Ritual as Recreational Therapy: A Study of the Hot Baths at Hot Springs, Arkansas. In The Many Faces of Play , edited by Kendall Blanchard, pp. 164-171. Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc., Champaign.

  • Murphy, S.J., G. Ronald

    1979      A Ceremonial Ritual: The Mass. In The Spectrum of Ritual: A Biogenetic Structural Analysis , pp. 318-341. Columbia University Press, New York .

  • Shemanski , Frances

    1985     A Guide to World Fairs and Festivals . Greenwood Press, Westport .

  • Turner, Victor and Edith Turner

    1982      Religious Celebrations. In Celebration: Studies in Festivity and Ritual , edited by Victor Turner, pp. 201-219. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington.

  • Turner, Victor

    1983      The Spirit of Celebration. In The Celebration of Society: Perspectives on Contemporary Cultural Performance , edited by Frank E. Manning, pp. 187-191. Bowling Green University Popular Press, Bowling Green.

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