Fleet blessing is Sunday
Sat, May 10, 2008
The Brunswick NewsThose who want to share in what has been a 70-year-old Mother's Day tradition in Brunswick and the Golden Isles should make plans to be at Mary Ross Waterfront Park Sunday afternoon. Starting at 3 p.m. in East River in front of the park, on Bay Street at the foot of Gloucester Street, commercial shrimp boats and recreational vessels will line up for the annual Blessing of the Fleet procession and ceremony. It's an event with roots in the community that date to 1938, when it was started by Portuguese fishermen and their families. It was during a time when the shrimping industry was flourishing and Brunswick was known as the Seafood Capital of the World.Today, the number of vessels still in the commercial shrimping business has dwindled substantially, but there are still individuals and families who continue to harvest the sea and who participate in the event.
All vessels are asked to fly the American flag. Prizes will be awarded to those competing for Best Decorated designations.An earlier part of the Mother's Day event will be held following the 11 a.m. Sunday service at St. Francis Xavier Church, 405 Howe St., Brunswick. Members of the congregation will gather in Hanover Square, adjacent to the church, and join the annual Our Lady of Fatima procession around the park.The church holds that Mary appeared to a group of children in Fatima, Portugal, in 1916 and asked them to pray for world peace.
The ceremony honoring Mary was started in Brunswick by Portuguese families the same year that saw the first Blessing of the Fleet.
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