Redentore, FIREWORKS in front of Saint Mark's square 14.07.07

The Redentore is one of the Venetians’ most treasured festivities, and a tourist attraction thanks to the spectacular firework display in the evening. This special moment of the festivity takes place on Saturday night at sunset. Beautyful illuminated and decorated boats, place theire ancors in front of Saint Mark’s and around the Giudecca Canal. People share traditional food and drinks from one boat to another. , The firework begins at 11.30 pm and lasts until after midnight. It is the most magical moment, a play of lights and reflections produce a kaleidoscope of colours to domes and bell towers of the city behind.

It falls on the third Sunday in July, when Holy Mass is held in the presence of the Patriarch, followed by a religious procession in the famous church of Redentore on the Giudecca island.

In the three years between 1575 and 1577 the Serenissima was tormented by the plague, aided by the high density of the population, the disease spread through the city, causing terrible losses. Almost 50,000 died, which was more than a third of the city’s inhabitants. On September 4th in 1576, the Senate decided that the Doge should announce the vow to erect a church dedicated to the Redentore (Redeemer), in return for help in ending the plague. On July 13, 1577, the plague was declared definitively over and it was decided that the city’s liberation from the terrible disease should be celebrated on the third Sunday in July.