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Mission Statement
BoatingWA is a non profit association, established for the promotion and
development of safe, economic and enjoyable recreational boating through Western
Australia.
BoatingWA
PO Box 1080
Claremont 6910
Western Australia
FAX and Voice
08 93353296
e-mail;
secretary@boatingwa.com.au
Office
1 Capo D'Orlando Drive
Fremantle, Western Australia, 6160
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The
Blessing of the Fleet
  The
Blessing of the Fishing Fleet is a well-established religious and civic
tradition in the City of Fremantle. It is a reminder of the religious traditions
of the Italian people, especially those from
Molfetta and
Capo d'Orlando.
Molfetta - on the
south-east coast of Italy- is a sea port facing the Adriatic Sea. It has a large
population of fishermen and is a very busy port. The people of Molfetta are very
devoted to their patroness, Our Lady of Martyrs. The history of the devotion
goes back to the twelfth century when Molfetta was a receiving depot or hospital
where many wounded crusaders were brought from the holy war being fought in
Palestine by the Christian crusaders. They brought with them paintings of the
Madonna and child and told of the protection crusaders received on the
battlefield when carrying the pictures.
On September 8th, 1948 the
first Festival and procession was held with the help of the religious and civil
authorities. At that time an icon was carried in procession because the statue
had not been acquired.
The Statue of Our Lady of
Martyrs was crafted locally by Con Samson of Subiaco, and was paraded through
the streets of Fremantle to the Fishing Boat Harbour, for the first time in
1950, and then taken out to sea aboard the fishing boat "Invincible"
and the Fishing Fleet was blessed by Fr P. Abramo O.M.I.
 In
1952 the people of Capo d'Orlando, a town on the north-east coast of Sicily,
gave the tiny statue of the Madonna of Capo d'Orlando to their fellow Sicilians
in Fremantle. They were able to have the added protection of their own
Patroness, especially as many miracles had been attributed to her. In 1954 the
Madonna di Capo d'Orlando joined the Madonna dei Martiri in procession. Whilst
the Madonna dei Martiri is carried by the men, the Madonna di Capo d'Orlando is
carried by young women.
The Fremantle Festival is
unique because the two statues which are carried in the procession are
representative of the two towns from which the majority of our fishermen
migrated. These two statues are housed in the Marian Chapel in the Basilica of
St Patrick in Fremantle.
2008 – 60 years of
celebrating the new fishing season.
The Blessing of the
Fleet parade will start from St Patrick’s Basilica, 47 Adelaide Street,
Fremantle, at 2pm, Sunday, October 26, and make its way to Fishing Boat Harbour
before returning at 5pm
Dates:
Sunday 26 October 2008
Venue: Parade from St Patrick's Basilica to the Fremantle Fishing Boat
Harbour and return. Celebration at the Esplanade Reserve.
Times: 2 -5 pm approx.
Cost: Free
Contact: John
Alberti, 0405 307 156
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