Throughout Italy on April 25 we celebrate the anniversary of the Liberation, but in the Veneto region the celebrations are not limited to this: in Venice, in particular, this anniversary coincides with an even older and grander feast, that of St. Mark, the patron saint of the city. It is a deeply felt religious celebration attended every year by thousands of locals, tourists and visitors. Very special legends and customs are linked to St. Mark’s Day, such as the Festa del Bocolo: lovers give their novizze, or girlfriends, a red rosebud. The term bocolo in Venetian, in fact, means precisely bud. There are two main celebrations presided over by the Patriarch: a solemn Mass held in St. Mark’s Basilica at 10:30 a.m. and Vespers, celebrated in the late afternoon. On the same day, in the Great Council Chamber of the Doge’s Palace, the St. Mark’s Day Award is presented to Venetian people who have distinguished themselves during the year.
