To celebrate the Feast of the Assumption, Saint Joseph Catholic Church invites the community to a Wedding of the Sea Procession and Festival on Tuesday, August 15.
This annual event will begin with a special mass in the church (4300 Landis Avenue) at 4 p.m., followed by a procession to the 44th Street Beach (two blocks away) at approximately 5 p.m.. Once on the beach, a traditional Blessing of the Ocean will take place and a ceremonial wreath will be tossed into the sea.
Immediately after the Blessing of the Ocean, there will be a Wedding of the Sea Festival in the Parish Life Center / Auditorium Parking Lot, at 44th Street and Central Avenue, where there will be food, games, gift basket auctions, and a silent auction with several high-value items. The festival is a BYOB event.
Tickets for the Wedding of the Sea Festival cost $15 each, which includes all-you-can-eat hot dogs, burgers, sausage & peppers, soft drinks, and more. Children under 12 are free but must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets will be on sale in the church after weekend masses, at the Parish Office (Monday thru Thursday), and at the entrance of the festival. For more information, phone the Saint Jospeh Parish Office at 609-263-8696.
The Wedding of the Sea tradition began in Venice, Italy, around the year 1000 AD to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption (the holy day that marks the occasion of the Virgin Mary’s bodily ascent to heaven at the end of her life). This tradition, which now occurs on August 15, celebrates the relationship of seashore communities and the sea, and it asks God to grant success to the people of the community and they good work they perform.
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