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Dressed in a traditional Venetian carnival costume, a man watches as the Festa delle Marie procession.

Dressed in a traditional Venetian carnival costume, a man watches as the Festa delle Marie procession. (Photo by Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Dressed in a traditional Venetian carnival costume, a man watches as the Festa delle Marie procession.

Dressed in a traditional Venetian carnival costume, a man watches as the Festa delle Marie procession. (Photo by Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Young men carry the Maries along wide Via Garibaldi and then to St. Mark’s Square, where revelers await their arrival.

Young men carry the Maries along wide Via Garibaldi and then to St. Mark’s Square, where revelers await their arrival. (Photos by Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Photos by Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes Girls dressed in medieval-style clothes wait for the Festa delle Marie procession to begin at San Pietro di Castello church in Venice. Although the event is a recent addition to the Venice carnival, the origins of the procession date to the 10th century.

Photos by Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes Girls dressed in medieval-style clothes wait for the Festa delle Marie procession to begin at San Pietro di Castello church in Venice. Although the event is a recent addition to the Venice carnival, the origins of the procession date to the 10th century. (Photo by Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

A medieval musician plays a tune before the Festa delle Marie procession gets under way. Although a recent addition to Venice carnival, the origins of the procession date to the 10th century.

A medieval musician plays a tune before the Festa delle Marie procession gets under way. Although a recent addition to Venice carnival, the origins of the procession date to the 10th century. (Michael Abrams / S&S)

One of the young Venetian "Maries" waits for the procession to begin at San Pietro di Castello church. Although a recent addition to Venice carnival, the origins of Festa delle Marie date back to the 10th century.

One of the young Venetian "Maries" waits for the procession to begin at San Pietro di Castello church. Although a recent addition to Venice carnival, the origins of Festa delle Marie date back to the 10th century. (Mark Abramson / S&S)

The carnival in Venice has a long history, dating to at least the 14th century. Over the centuries, and under different rulers, the Carnevale di Venezia went through many stages, sometimes forbidden and sometimes tolerated. The carnival we know today, with its many masked balls and costumed creatures floating across the city’s bridges and squares, dates only to the last 100 years.

In the latter half of the 20th century, much was done to revive the traditions. So much so that the city on the lagoon is today overrun with revelers. Costume balls and many other events have been added, while other traditions have been revived.

One of these, the Festa delle Marie, actually predates masks and carnival itself.

As the story goes, on Feb. 2, the day of the Purification of Mary, or Candlemas, all the marriages in Venice were consecrated, including those of 12 poor girls. The girls were richly dressed and bedecked with jewels for the occasion, drawing the attention of pirates who, supposedly in 973, kidnapped them. The girls — and the jewels — were rescued, and to celebrate their salvation, the Festa delle Marie, or Feast of Marie, was initiated.

Twelve poor girls were selected, and dressed by the aristocracy of the city, and in a procession they traveled along the canals from church to church to religious ceremonies.

Eventually people gathered to admire the girls rather than attend the services, so officials had them replaced with wooden effigies. Rather peeved, the people took to throwing vegetables at the statues. A law was passed in 1349 that forbade this, and the feat itself was abolished in 1379.

Jump ahead more than six centuries, and under the direction of writer and music critic Bruno Tosi, the Festa delle Maria is reborn.

Now historical groups and societies gather at the San Pietro di Castello church to line up for the colorful procession. There are musicians wearing medieval garb, flag bearers and drummers, people dressed as aristocrats and peasants, 12 teams of litter bearers and, of course, the 12 Maries, clad in fine dresses and wearing crowns.

After much music and dancing, a line is formed, and the procession snakes off the piazza and along the canals, the drummers beating out time.

Along wide Via Garibaldi, they march past the throng lining the street. About halfway along the route, the procession stops and the Maries are introduced. Then they climb on the litters and are borne on the young men’s shoulders toward St. Mark’s Square. By the time the procession gets there, the square is jammed with carnival revelers awaiting their arrival.

The Maries dismount their litters and climb the stage set up on the square. Here, in a mixture of beauty pageant and fashion show, they are again introduced to the crowd, and the ancient procession dissolves into modern spectacle.

Know and go ...• The Festa delle Marie takes place on Sunday. It starts at San Pietro di Castello church at about 2:30 p.m., but the participating groups gather earlier. The procession is scheduled to arrive at St. Mark’s Square at about 3 p.m., but is usually late.

The best place to watch is at the beginning as the parade forms, along Via Garibaldi and on the Riva di Schiavoni, before the marchers get lost in the crowd in St. Mark’s.

• Venice is trying to manage its crowds better, and is charging for various services. Go to www.veniceconnected.it for more information. Other Carnevale di Venezia sites arewww.carnevale.venezia.it and www.carnivalofvenice.com.

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