Ashtabula, Ohio Blessing of Fleet to be held Saturday
May 29, 08 by TheFleetIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
SHELLEY TERRY | Source: Star Beacon
ASHTABULA — A wreath of fresh flowers will be cast into the Ashtabula River Saturday with a prayer at the 59th annual Blessing of the Fleet.
The traditional processional will begin with the 5:30 p.m. Celebration of Mass at Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church, 1514 W. Sixth St.
The Knights of Columbus Honor Color Guard will display the American flag as the U.S. Coast Guard assists in the blessing of the boats.
The Blessing of the Fleet is a long-standing tradition in the Ashtabula Harbor. The prayer service began in the 1930s when a priest at the Mother of Sorrows Church decided to send sailors and shipmasters off for a season of shipping on the Great Lakes with the faith of a safe return. The ceremony also officially opens the boating season on the dock.
