The Feast of St Mark in Italy
Quick Facts
The Italian city of Venice has its own local public holiday, St Mark’s Day (Festa di San Marco) on April 25 each year.Local names
| Name | Language |
|---|---|
| La Festa di San Marco | Italian |
| The Feast of St Mark | English |
The Feast of St Mark 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013The Feast of St Mark 2014
Friday, April 25, 2014List of dates for other years
The Feast of St Mark (La Festa di San Marco) is an annual local public holiday in Venice, Italy, on April 25. It honors St Mark, the city’s patron saint, and coincides with Liberation Day.
Gondolas at the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.
©iStockphoto.com/AmandaLewis
What do people do?
One of the highlights during the Feast of St Mark is the Regata di Traghetti, a boat race featuring gondoliers who compete while transporting passengers in their gondolas.
Other events in Venice around this time of the year include:
- Church mass.
- Concerts.
- Carnivals.
- Markets.
Public life
St Mark’s Day is a local public holiday in Venice so many businesses and public offices are closed.
Background
St Mark (San Marco) is Venice’s patron saint who died on April 25 in 68 CE. He was one of Jesus Christ’s disciples and believed to be author of the Gospel of Mark. It is believed that the relics of St Mark were moved to Venice in 828 CE, where it attracted pilgrims from around Europe.
Symbols
One tradition associated with St Mark’s festival was the Festival of the Blooming Rose, symbolizing love and romance. The custom of giving a rose bud (bocolo) to a loved one is still practiced today.
The Feast of St Mark Observances
| Weekday | Date | Year | Name | Holiday type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri | Apr 25 | 1980 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sat | Apr 25 | 1981 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sun | Apr 25 | 1982 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Mon | Apr 25 | 1983 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Wed | Apr 25 | 1984 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Thu | Apr 25 | 1985 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Fri | Apr 25 | 1986 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sat | Apr 25 | 1987 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Mon | Apr 25 | 1988 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Tue | Apr 25 | 1989 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Wed | Apr 25 | 1990 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Thu | Apr 25 | 1991 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sat | Apr 25 | 1992 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sun | Apr 25 | 1993 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Mon | Apr 25 | 1994 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Tue | Apr 25 | 1995 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Thu | Apr 25 | 1996 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Fri | Apr 25 | 1997 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sat | Apr 25 | 1998 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sun | Apr 25 | 1999 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Tue | Apr 25 | 2000 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Wed | Apr 25 | 2001 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Thu | Apr 25 | 2002 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Fri | Apr 25 | 2003 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sun | Apr 25 | 2004 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Mon | Apr 25 | 2005 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Tue | Apr 25 | 2006 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Wed | Apr 25 | 2007 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Fri | Apr 25 | 2008 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sat | Apr 25 | 2009 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sun | Apr 25 | 2010 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Mon | Apr 25 | 2011 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Wed | Apr 25 | 2012 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Thu | Apr 25 | 2013 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Fri | Apr 25 | 2014 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
| Sat | Apr 25 | 2015 | The Feast of St Mark | Local holiday |
Related holiday
- All Saints' Day ―Friday, November 1, 2013
Other holidays in April 2013 in Italy
- Easter Monday ―Monday, April 1, 2013
- Liberation Day ―Thursday, April 25, 2013
Other calendars
- Perpetual yearly calendar - make yearly calendar for any year
- Perpetual monthly calendar - shows only one month at a time
- Custom calendar - make customized calendars