Blessing of the Fleet

The annual Blessing of the Fleet Festival is a much treasured religious and civic tradition for the Fremantle community, in which the boats are blessed at the opening of the fishing season.

It is an opportunity to pray for a 'good season' and to pray for the safe return of all boats at the end of the season. This tradition is particularly important for those with Italian heritage, especially those hailing from Capo D'Orlando and Molfetta.

A procession occurs annually, walking from St Patrick's Basilica to Fishing Boat Harbour whilst carrying two statues of "Madonna's" (Mary's) - the Madonna dei Martiri (Our Lady of Martyrs) and the Madonna di Capo D'Orlando (Our Lady of Capo D'Orlando). Whilst the men carry the Madonna dei Martiri, this year Iona students were invited to assist in carrying the Madonna di Capo D'Orlando. Upon arrival at Fishing Boat Harbour, the girls were able to board a fishing vessel that was blessed, before processing back through the streets of Fremantle to the Church.

It was a special afternoon in Fremantle, where the streets came alive with people, the atmosphere of the procession rivalled some of the best in Europe and it was wonderful to see spirit, faith, tradition and culture collide where young people were able to learn from those who have kept this tradition alive for so long.

Our Year 12 Italian: Second Language ATAR students study the Blessing of the Fleet as part of their coursework and a number of Iona families have special connections to the Fremantle fishing community. It was a joy and a privilege to be invited to participate in this special day and our students represented Iona with a great sense of respect and pride, already with the desire to be invited back in 2024.