The Ancient Rite of the Wedding of the Sea

Friday 30th May - Sunday 1st June 2025

Exhibitions, culture, gastronomy for a weekend of tradition.

Host city for 2025: Pinzolo - Madonna di Campiglio

Ilary Fontana and Serio Goffi, both from the Cerviaman sports group, will lead the historical procession.

How to watch the event:
--> two screens, one in Piazza Garibaldi and one near the Tourist Port, on the D'Annunzio Promenade, where the event filmed for live Facebook coverage will be broadcast.
--> board the motor vessels accompanying the procession at sea

MOTOR VESSEL TICKET

to attend the ceremony at sea on Sunday 12th May

LANDING Porto Canale - Cervia side
from 5 to 5.30 p.m.

Scheduled departure at 6 p.m.

How did the ancient rite come about?

The story, from which the celebration is inspired, features Pietro Barbo, Bishop of Cervia, who later became Pope Paul II.

On Ascension Day 1445, while returning from Venice, he was surprised by a storm at sea. The story tells that the bishop calmed the waters, thus bringing ship and crew to safety, after having thrown his ring into the sea.

Even today, Cervia relives the atmosphere, preserving its memory and traditions.

• Find out how the Sea Wedding came about

Programme 2025

Friday 30th May

Concert for the 581st anniversary of the Marriage of the Sea

Piazza Garibaldi
9 p.m.

The Grande Orchestra Città di Cervia brings its repertoire to the stage of the historic square in Cervia.

In case of bad weather, the concert will be held at the Walter Chiari Municipal Theatre.

Saturday 31st May

Wedding Ring Ceremony

PIAZZA GARIBALDI
9 p.m.

Exchange of gifts with the host city Pinzolo-Madonna di Campiglio.

Presentation of the Cervia athletes who will play the role of the Lady of the Ring and the Podestà: Ilary Fontana and Serio Goffi, belonging to the Cerviaman sports group.

In case of bad weather the ceremony is in the Municipal Theatre Walter Chiari - Via XX Settembre 125

Sunday 1st June

Ring Trophy

PIAZZALE DEI SALINARI
10 a.m.

Archery tournament
Organised by the City of Rimini Archers Company named Seven Arrows

Sea and Fishing' heritage walk

Meeting point at San Michele Tower
10.30 a.m.

organised by the F.E.S.T.A Association

Cervia in the past between tradition and folklore

GARIBALDI SQUARE
4.00 p.m.

Performance by the group of flag-wavers, musicians and standard bearers, representing the Palio del Niballo di Faenza, in collaboration with the Municipality of Faenza, and parade of figures in historical costumes.

RITES OF THE RING

Traditional Mass of the Ring

GARIBALDI SQUARE
4.30 pm pm

Archbishop Lorenzo Ghizzoni blesses the ring that will be thrown into the sea.
Musical accompaniment by the Ad Novas Choir.

Ring Parade

Departure from GARIBALDI SQUARE
5.15 pm

Procession in historical costume through the streets of the centre to the Lungomare (waterfront promenade) and the canal port.
Special participation by Ilary Fontana and Serio Goffi as the Lady of the Ring and the Podestà.

Prayer and wreath-laying in memory of those fallen at sea

GABRIELE D'ANNUNZIO SEAFRONT, Memorial to the Fallen at Sea
5.45 p.m.

Cockaigne on the water

CANAL PORT

9.00 p.m.

CULTURE - EXHIBITIONS

Endless Summer

TOWER SALT WAREHOUSE – Via N. Sauro

until June 22nd

• Friday, 7.00 p.m.- 11.00 p.m.
• Saturday, 10.00 a.m.-1.00 p.m./5.00 p.m.-11.00 p.m.
• Sunday, 10.00 a.m.-1.00 p.m./5.00 p.m.-11.00 p.m.

Figures of women and places of the heart

RUBICONE ROOM – Via Evangelisti

Exhibition of wire sculptures by Antonini Cristiano

• Friday, 3.00 p.m.-10.00 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday, 10.00 a.m.-10.00 p.m.

Cervia, city of Salt and Sea

MUSA SALT MUSEUM – Via N. Sauro

organized by the La Pantofla Fishermen's Recreational Club

• Saturday 31st May, 2.30pm-7pm
• Sunday 1st June, 2.30pm-7.00pm / 8.30pm-midnight

Artistic recovery of vintage furniture

edited by Made again-Lamikycrea

ARTEMEDIA ROOM – Piazza Garibaldi

• Friday, 4.00 p.m.-7.00 p.m. /8.00 p.m.-10.00 p.m.
• Saturday, 10.00 a.m.-1.00 p.m./4.00 p.m.-7.00 p.m./8.00 p.m.-10.00 p.m.

The pearl, the feather and the lotus flower

painting exhibition by the artist Catherine Horn

ARTEMEDIA ROOM – Piazza Garibaldi

• Sunday 10.00 a.m.-1.00 p.m. /3.00 p.m.-8.00 p.m.

FOOD AND WINE

Discover the products of the Adriatic Sea, fish and Cervia mussels, and get to know the area's typical recipes

A sea that unites, food stand

ALIPRANDI SQUARE

Friday from 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 12 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Typical local seafood dishes organised by Circolo Pescatori La Pantofla.

Sensia Bread and Spinster's Cake

The Pane della Sensia is a tradition linked to the Marriage of the Sea. It is a round-shaped bread with a cross design on its surface.

The recipe of the Dolce delle Zitelle (Spinsters' Cake) was  developed a few years ago by the Cervia Hotelier Institute IPSEOA, after a study on the cuisine of the past.

These traditional Cervia classics will be on sale from 6th to 12th May.

Bakery:

• Forno Doganieri - Cervia, Via Grazia Deledda 2/a
• Forno Giuliani - Milano Marittima, Viale Dante 75
• Forno Martini - Cervia, Via Stazione 16
• Forno Zamagni - Tagliata, Via Sicilia 8

Embarkation for the ceremony and exit to the sea

from 5 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. - scheduled departure at 6 p.m.

Motorboat tickets

• Full price € 5.00
• Reduced (children up to 10 years) € 3.00
• Only available online
• Tickets can be purchased no later than 3.00 pm on Sunday

All proceeds will be donated to charity.
In the event of bad weather there is no refund.

INFORMATION

IAT Torre San Michele Office - via Evangelisti 4, Cervia,
tel. +39 0544 974400 - info@discovercervia.com

 Programmes and dates are subject to change