SEA ISLE CITY – The Saint Joseph Church Aug. 15 will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption. This holy day marks the occasion of the Virgin Mary’s bodily ascent to heaven at the end of her life.
According to a city release, the Wedding of the Sea tradition began in Venice, Italy, around the year 1,000 AD to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption. This tradition, which now occurs on Aug. 15, celebrates the relationship of the city and the sea and asks God to grant success to the work of so many who have made the city a wonderful place to live.
Immediately following the 11:30 a.m. Mass, the Saint Joseph parish community is invited to join a procession from the church to the beach. The procession will cross Landis Avenue and continue down 44th Street to the Promenade, where the church’s pastor, Father Perry, will lead a brief ceremony in front of the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol station. Then, the procession will continue onto the beach and down to the ocean, where father will be joined by two lifeguards, who will row a boat beyond the waves and allow father to toss a ceremonial wreath into the sea.
After the traditional wreath throwing, everyone is invited to the parish’s first annual Wedding of the Sea Festival, which will be held in the auditorium parking lot, at 44th and Central Avenue. The festival will provide opportunities for fun and fellowship – and everyone can purchase lunch from several food trucks, as well as bottled water, soft drinks, soft pretzels, and ice cream. Additionally, commemorative t-shirts and tank tops will be on sale, children will receive free gifts, and there will be music and ample seating for all under tents or in the auditorium.
The Wedding of the Sea Festival will be a BYOB event. For everyone’s convenience, refreshments may be dropped off at the auditorium before Mass and the procession to the beach.
To prepare the auditorium parking lot for the festival, parking will be limited to the church parking lot (behind the church) for the 11:30 a.m. Mass. Additional parking can be found at the municipal lot, on 46th and Central Avenue, and also at the library, at 48th and Central Avenue. For those riding bikes, they can be “parked” at the auditorium lot, where the city will make sure they are safe.
For more information about Saint Joseph Church’s Wedding of the Sea celebration, phone the parish office, at 609-263-8696.
