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Procession on the Grand Canal in the late 19th century - (Library of Congress - Washington)

Together with the Redentore, it is the feast of the Venetians. A fixed and unmissable event for many inhabitants of the lagoon city every 21st November, the centuries-old thanksgiving to the Virgin Mary for the end of the plague that struck the city severely for the second time.

In 1630, Venice was struck by a devastating plague epidemic, which caused the death of nearly 50,000 people. In response to the tragedy, the Venetian Senate vowed to build a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, promising to visit it every year as a sign of gratitude. The Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute was consecrated in 1687 and the feast day is celebrated on 21 November with a procession and a fair near the church.

The Madonna della Salute has an origin of mourning and suffering, and still remains a devotional feast for Venetians today.At the beginning of the 1600s Italy was going through a turbulent period, both because of the continuous reshuffling in the succession of the various governments, and because of the presence of foreign troops such as the French, Spanish and Germans who were swarming there to conquer new territories or defend some convenient Italian allies. In October 1629, German armed bands had descended on Lombardy, and cases of plague had been reported near Lecco, spreading to Milan whe

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