The Des Allemands Carnival Krewe Committee will host the seventh annual Blessing of the Fleet under the Highway 90 bridge in Bayou Des Allemands on Saturday, May 3 from noon to 2 p.m.
Father Lance from St. Michael the Archangel Church will bless each vessel and helpers will pass out prayer cards. Boats will line up from Mud Lake and pass under the Highway 90 bridge for their blessing. The little bridge will open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for water traffic.
All donations will go toward next year’s boat blessings.
There is no registration required, and any watercraft or vessel can receive a blessing. St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office will patrol the waters for safety, and all boaters should adhere to boater safety guidelines.
Mitzi Petit, a member of the Des Allemands Carnival Krewe Committee, said around 180 vessels received a blessing in previous years.
“We hope to see a great turnout again this year,” she said. “Being able to keep the boat blessing going is a blessing. I think the community looks forward to it, so we hopefully can keep it alive for years to come.”
The Blessing of the Fleet began in 2018 to bless Bayou Des Allemands and boat owners who wanted to receive a blessing for their vessel.
“Des Allemands has always been a fishing community and the bayou itself is an important way of life here,” Petit said. “It’s also important to remember how blessed we are to be able to enjoy our waterways and be thankful for everyone’s safety when out on the water.”
The Des Allemands Carnival Krewe Committee took over the Blessing of the Fleet in 2022 after Hurricane Ida damaged St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church. In July 2024, the archdiocese merged the church with St. John the Baptist Catholic Church to form St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Paradis because of financial pressures.
“Actually, a majority of the [carnival krewe] committee members were parishioners of St. Gertrude and on the boat blessing committee, so it was an easy transition for us,” Petit said.
With the closing of the church, some features of past events, like a decorating contest, live music and food vendors, were put on hold.
“We are always hoping to get an opportunity to bring those things back in the future,” Petit said. “Hurricane Ida took away a lot from this community, including the church and all the events it hosted. For now, we are happy to just be able to arrange the blessing and keep this event going.”
