FESTA DEL REDENTORE

WHAT: Festa del Redentore 2023
WHY: A historic Venician celebration
WHERE: Venice, Italy
WHEN: July 15th – 16th 2023
COST: Free of charge

Each year in Venice, Italy, a Festival is held to celebrate a very important part of Italian history. This festival is significant not only to the religious, but to anyone from the city. The festival is held on in the weekend of July 15th-16th.

This festival incorporates one of the World’s most impressive fireworks displays into it’s celebration, and is even free to attend!

Historical Significance:

Between the years of 1575 and 1577, in Venice, Italy, a plague struck the city. Due to poor living conditions in Venice at the time, the plague spread like wildfire, and killed 50,000 people, almost one third of the population of Venice. Some people claim that Venice ‘invented’ the quarantine/lockdown during this time, where they would store goods coming in via boat in a depot for forty days before entering the city. They also restricted movement for the infected, whilst trying their best to still allow for the trade and flow of goods and merchandise.

Plague had struck Venice before, and an island just off the Coast was used as a hold-all for the diseased and dying, the name of this island is Poveglia. See below for a fascinating video from Yes Theory, who documented their visit to this haunting place…

The Doge of Venice (sometimes translated of Duke, but elected rather than gaining this title through family) was the Chief Magistrate. This man, Doge Alvise I Mocenigo, had been elected for life by the Venetian nobility. He promised to build a magnificent church once the plague had ended, and at the end of 1576, he ordered exactly that…

Building works began on the Church of II Redentore, and following in 1577, the plague had come to a halt in Venice. In July of 1577, the city was officially declared as cured, and the Festa del Redentore was started by the people.

Each year, the Ponte Votivo, a bridge made of barges (which connects to the Redentore Church) is set up across the Giudecca Canal. Rooftops and terraces around the area are packed full of people waiting to see the show.

Already established as one of the most skilled manufacturers of shells in the world, the Italians do not mess around when it comes to pyro. The display usually takes place at around 11:30pm.