Marriage of the Sea ceremony of the sea continues to this day. It is performed by the mayor of Venice aboard a smaller ceremonial barge called the "Bissona Serenissima". Marriage of the Sea ceremony The Marriage of the Sea (), sometimes referred to as the Marriage of the Adriatic, was an ancient ceremony which used to symbolize the maritime dominion of Venice. The ceremony, established in about 1000 AD to commemorate the Doge Pietro II Orseolo's conquest of Dalmatia, was originally one of supplication and placation, Ascension Day being chosen as that on which the doge set out on his expedition. The form it took
Gulf of Patras of 350–400 km. The port city of Patras lies to the southeast and is the only major port on the gulf. It serves ferries to Ancona and Brindisi in Italy and to Cephalonia. On the northern shore Missolonghi also has a port. The old ports of Rio and Antirrio lie at the east end of the Gulf; there is a ferry service between them which complements the traffic over the Rio-Antirio bridge. The gulf is rich in fish as well as molluscs including sea snails and clams. A number of major naval battles took place in the Gulf of Patras: