Last Sunday, June 24, the 11th annual Portuguese Festival in Provincetown concluded with the 60th Blessing of the Fleet. Dozens of fishing boats, recreational motor boats, sail boats and even a few row boats and kayaks lined up for the part-festive, part-solemn procession to be blessed.
The event began with a fishermen’s Mass that was held at the end of Fisherman’s Wharf. When the Mass concluded, fishermen carried the traditional statue of St. Peter (from St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church) on their shoulders in a procession from Fisherman’s Pier to the adjacent MacMillan Wharf. The statue was secured to Chris King’s fishing boat, Second Effort.
Fishing boats and recreational boats were decked out in multicolored ropes full of flags. As the blessing began the Catholic monsignor from New Bedford mounted to the top level of the Boston Ferry that was tied up parallel to the end of the wharf. The boats all moved outside the breakwater and lined up with Second Effort leading off. One by one they came back inside the breakwater and slowly moved alongside the ferry and received a blessing and a splash of Holy Water.
Hundreds of onlookers cheered and called out to those they knew. After passing the Monsignor, the majority of the boats, most laden down with crew, family and friends, sailed out to Long Point for a day of picnics and fun.
Jun 28th, 2007
