Our History: History and Meaning of the Blessing of the Fleet

Ceremony/Meaning of the Blessing of the Fleet

The Blessing of the Fleet tradition began in Europe in France, Spain, Sicily, and Portugal, with the tradition being brought to America by Catholic immigrants. Blessings of the Fleets are still celebrated in Europe and in port towns and cities across America like St. Augustine, Florida; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Portland, Maine, to name a few. 

The local tradition for the Blessing of the Fleet has a few variations, usually beginning with a Mass either the evening before or on the day, followed by a procession to the docks or boats themselves. The priest usually lays a wreath to commemorate the dead. Blessings can occur on one boat where the priest is stationed and blesses the people and other boats as they pass. The boats are decorated with flags, banners, and decorations for the parade, and some church locations previously even offered trophies or cash prizes for the winners. Certain church parishes like St. Charles in Pointe-aux-Chenes used to hand out medallions, keychains, or coins for the boat captains to place on board their boats to protect them for another year. 

Celebrating the Blessing of the Fleet within Our Diocese

Golden Meadow

Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Golden Meadow has the oldest annual boat blessing, originally called the “La Benediction des Bateaux,” which Father Yves Grall brought to the United States in 1916. From Brittany, France, Grall decided to recreate the Blessing of the Boats tradition popular in Europe, especially in Portugal, Sicily, and France. Father Grall invited the Most Reverend John Marius Laval, the Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans, to attend that first blessing. The boat blessing was preceded by a confessional service called “Les Pardones,” where fishermen went to confession before they set out to sea for a new fishing season. The Blessing of the Boat ceremony lasted seven to eight days and addressed cleansing the soul and devoting the soul to the Lord. After the solemn confessional service, the Blessing of the Boat would have proceeded outside, with the priests going aboard the ship to bless the other boats as they passed.

Before 1995, “Le Benediction des Bateaux” was accompanied by the church’s annual fair, celebrated with auctions, rides, food, and games. The tradition went back to its spiritual roots with the prohibition of church fairs across the diocese. 
 

Bayou Dularge/Theriot

In 1971, the local Episcopal church, St. Andrew’s, would partner with St. Eloi to have a United Blessing of the Fleet, which featured representatives from both faiths. While initially, it featured the pastors of both St. Andrew’s and St Joseph’s of Chauvin pastor assisting, it eventually grew in popularity in 1977 to have Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux and Episcopal Bishop James Barrow Brown. 

While both St. Andrew’s and Holy Family still have a Boat Blessing every year, they no longer celebrate it together. No records detailing when and why this practice ended were found. 

Chauvin

The Blessing of the Fleet tradition for Little Caillou has multiple claims to its starting point and date, with many different versions of its origin story being passed around. In 1933, Father Joseph Coulombe decided to revive the tradition he had observed in Brittany, France. Another story has the tradition of being brought from Biloxi in 1920 by Desire’ Theriot. The last story is about the Blessing of the Fleet, which was started in 1930 in the Boudreaux Canal before moving to Little Caillou. 

The 1936 blessing featured Archbishop Joseph Francis Rummel of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, who confirmed 500 children amid a crowd of 1,500 onlookers. The 1938 blessing began with Mass at St. Joseph with an attendance of over 1,000 local fisherman and their families. The high Mass was held, and over 50 visiting priests concelebrated with the Archbishop of New Orleans. At the end of the Mass, Archbishop Rummel led a procession from the church to the bayou, where the boats were tied up before he and the various priests headed to a floating wharf. As each boat passed the wharf, the archbishop and priests prayed over the ships and their occupants and were blessed with a sprinkling of holy water.

Dulac

While no start date has been found for the Grand Caillou Blessing of the Boats, 1960 has the first record of the Blessing of the Fleet in Dulac. Holy Family’s Boat Blessings included games, rides, and a family day. Information that gives an end date for the family day event was not found.

Grand Isle

While Our Lady of the Isle has previously celebrated the Blessing of the Fleet, there’s no record of when this tradition started or ended in Grand Isle. The last Blessing of the Fleet in Grand Isle was held in 2020; a Blessing of the Fleet and the Blessing of the Fleet Festival were scheduled for 2021 but were canceled. Father Mark Toups does offer private boat blessings that can be scheduled through the Our Lady of the Isle church office.

Montegut

No date could be found for Sacred Heart in Montegut’s beginning tradition of the Blessing of the Boats. While Sacred Heart in Montegut has previously had the Blessing of the Boats ceremony, the archives office could not locate specific start and end dates for their Blessing of the Boats ceremony. 

Morgan City

The Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City features a blessing of the fleet and a chance to celebrate the Cajuns’ heritage, especially fishermen. The festival began on Labor Day 1936, with a parade honoring local fishermen and a dance at Eagle’s Hall. In 1937, The Blessing of the Fleet was introduced by Paul Acklen LeBlanc and consisted of 143 blessed boats parading up and down Berwick Bay before an afternoon of games and a dance at City Hall which ensued that evening. Father Andrew W. “Sol” Souby, the Pastor of Sacred Heart, was the first priest in Morgan City to perform the Blessing of the Fleet. 

Today, the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival is still held on the Thursday before Labor Day until Monday, Labor Day. Holy Cross and Sacred Heart priests alternate saying outdoor Mass for the festival, which usually takes place in Lawrence Park on Sunday morning before the afternoon of Blessing of the Fleet.  

Pointe-aux-Chenes

No information was found about when St. Charles Borromeo in Pointe-aux-Chenes began their Blessing of the Boats tradition. Typically celebrated on the fourth Sunday in April, the Blessing is bestowed on the lake, boats, and attending people. The church usually gives all participating ships a medal/keychain for the Blessing. 

Resources:

https://aleteia.org/2023/02/04/the-centuries-old-catholic-tradition-of-blessing-the-fleet/

Hubbard, Audriana. “The Blessing of the Fleet: Heritage and Identity in Three Gulf Coast Communities.” Master’s thesis, Louisiana State University, 2013.

Parishioners of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Golden Meadow

Parishioners of Holy Family Catholic Church in Dulac

Thibodaux, Cindy Landers. “A history of the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival, 1936-1985” Publisher unknown. January 1, 1986.

Special Thanks: Buffy Charpentier, Gina Dupuis, Kristie Domangue, and Rebecca Dardar