The sanctuary of Our Lady of the Angel in Caorle seems wrapped in the embrace of the sea. An embrace at times too strong: because of the violence of the waves the church has been rebuilt several times. The current one is a building of classic elegance typical of the Venetian architecture of the eighteenth century. It is flanked by a beautiful 13th century Romanesque bell tower.
Initially the church was dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel (a 16th century statue is still present in the sanctuary). According to tradition, however, some fishermen found a statue of the Virgin floating on the sea and brought it to the beach near the church of the Angel. The statue was placed on a block of marble, still kept in the sanctuary, so heavy that no one was able to carry the image inside the sanctuary. The bishop then decided to have some children try and, with their innocence, they were able to lift the statue and carry it into the church.
The feast of Our Lady of the Angel falls on the second Sunday of September every 5 years (the next one will be in 2020), but until a few decades ago it was celebrated once every 25 years. On this occasion the statue is carried in a procession of boats aboard a "caorlina", a rowing boat typical of the Venetian lagoon.
