Santa Maria Students Join the Blessing of the Fleet
The Blessing of the Fleet is an annual religious festival through the streets of Fremantle. It celebrates the blessing of fishing boats before the opening of the fishing season.
Rich in tradition from its Italian roots, a procession from St Patrick’s Basilica to the Fishing Boat Harbour includes the carrying of two Madonna’s, the Madonna dei Martiri and the Madonna Capo d’Orlando. Whilst the men carry the Madonna dei Martiri, the girls carry the Madonna Capo d’Orlando.
As part of the College’s commitment to community, some of our Year 10 girls were given the opportunity to be involved. The girls had the privilege of carrying the Madonna Capo d’Orlando and were then able to alight a boat to be blessed. It was an honour to participate in this significant event and the girls enjoyed the experience immensely. The sense of community spirit, faith and tradition was felt by everyone on the day.
Student Reflections
“I really enjoyed being a part of this procession as I got to experience the meaning of the Blessing of the Fleet. I felt very lucky to be able to join in on a celebration which is so important to many people,” said Bec Barker (Year 10). “It felt great to be able to jump on board and help carry the statue in this incredible event.”
Sophie Muir (Year 10) said she really enjoyed being part of the Blessing of the Fleet. “The experience was like no other. Riding on a fishing boat and carrying the statue of the Madonna was the highlight of the day. I felt extremely proud to represent Santa Maria College in such an important and meaningful event.”
- communityactivation, Featured
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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