The Wedding of the Sea tradition began in Venice around the year 1000 AD. The civil and religious leaders of Venice performed an annual “wedding” between the city and the Mediterranean Sea on the Feast of the Ascension of Christ. The ritual symbolized the maritime power’s vital relationship to the sea. The tradition came to Atlantic City through St. Michael’s Church, an historically Italian parish, but was celebrated on a different feast, the Assumption of Mary. Whether the destination is the beach, the Boardwalk, or the casinos, the great appeal of Atlantic City is the Atlantic Ocean. The Wedding of the Sea Festival celebrates the relationship of the city and the sea and asks God to grant success to the work of so many to build up our great city.