The third Sunday in July rings in an important holiday in the city, the Day of the Redeemer (Redentore in italian), competing with Carnival and the Historical Regatta for the title of best-known Venetian event around the world. It origins go back many centuries to a most difficult momento in the city's history: the plague of 1575.

After it has broken out, despite such measures as constructing a huge floating hospital made of thousands of boats, and after all attempts of containing the epidemic have failed, Doge Alvise Mocenigo pleaded for divine mercy vowing to build a shrine dedicated to the Redeemer. On September 21, 1576, the Doge formulated the vow to erect on the Island of Giudecca the Church of the Redentore. the following year, on July 13, the plague was pronunced officially over, and on july 21 the city approved the inauguration of an annual procession of the Doge and the "Signoria" to the church; the church's cornerstone was then laid and one of the top architects of the time, Andrea Palladio, was commissioned to build it. Workon the church was completed fifteen years later.

That year the Feast-Day of the Redeemer was celebrated for the first time and later became the most popular Festa of the Serenissima Republic. Every year since 1592, then, the top city and church officials would lead a procession to the Church of the Redeemer across the Giudecca Canal over a temporary pontoon bridge. With the passing years, the  religious rite was complemented by a secular celebartion of joy "for the liberation from all evil and the triumph of life over all pain".

A great party on the water was added to the procession and religious services, centered around the famous church that overlooks the St. Mark's area and with the entire St. Marks's Basin as a backdrop. And Saturday night became known as la notte famosissima (the most-famous night).

Today too, this is the culminating moment of the whole festa. Hundreds of boats of all types and size assemble in the Basin and along its banks, some decorated with colorful balloons. the evening is passed singing, playing and eating a tradtional dinner, while awaiting the grand finale: the fireworks show (foghi) over the water. But celebration does not end there. Singing and dancing go on the Lido, where the most tenacious night-birds go to take part in the last spectacle, or rather the frist of the new day: the dawn of the sun over the Sea.

Obviously, anyone can take part in the Night of the Redentore, be it aboard a prive boat or from the manks or a hous facing the Basin. Indeed, there are numerous palazzi, Hotels, and restaurants that offer the possibilty of comfortably watching the whole show. There are also as many  "packages" offered by travel agencies that include celebrating the Redentore aboard a large or small boats anchored in the lagoon for the evening. Anyway you choose, it is certain to be a memorable night.