In a sure sign that spring is just around the corner, Mariners’ Church of Detroit inviting Michiganders to its upcoming Blessing of the Fleet service this Sunday, March 9. Now in its 61st year, the Blessing is an important moment for professional and recreational boaters to say a prayer for a safe, successful and enjoyable boating season.
The event includes a live stream option for those boaters who can’t attend in person but would like to watch the service. The event attracts members of the Armed Services and dozens of captains carrying their ship’s banners, flags, pennants and burgees for a blessing.
Will the ice melt off the Detroit river and spring finally begin to emerge from this year’s unusually cold winter? There are no guarantees, but there’s hope and at least one sign that a new season is in the wings.
The 61st annual Blessing of the Fleet follows a centuries-old tradition that started in sunny Mediterranean fishing villages in the 14th century and will be re-enacted at Mariners’ Church of Detroit on Sunday, March 9 at 11:00 a.m. ET. Hopefully not on an ice floe!
Grounded in Jesus’ calling of the fishermen to be his apostles, the Blessing of the Fleet began as a prayer for a safe and bountiful fishing season. The Mariners’ Church ceremony invites fishermen as well as other maritime professionals and recreational boaters to bring their burgees, banners, pennants and flags to receive a special seafarers blessing for themselves, their boats, their crews and their passengers. For those unable to join in person, the service will be livestreamed here (or via https://www.youtube.com/@MarinersChurchofDetroit).
“The tradition of The Blessing of the Fleet first came to the U.S. along the Gulf Coast shortly after World War II and has expanded to waterfront communities throughout the country since then,” said Rev. Todd Meyer, Rector of Mariners’ Church of Detroit. “Our service has been held every year since 1961. In 2020, we added livestream video to reach throughout the Midwest and enable thousands more people to attend the service. That has hugely expanded our reach, inviting boaters from across the Great Lakes region to join in our prayers for a safe season.”
The Blessing of the Fleet ceremony incorporates inspirational music by Mariners’ professional choir accompanied by the church’s 4,100 pipe organ. An honorary color guard of Ship Masters and military personnel will participate in the service.
The service culminates in the presentation of the annual Captain Lewis Ludington Award to the Ship Master who has done the most to perpetuate and promote the work and heritage of the International Ship Masters Association. This year’s Ludington Award winner is Capt. Jason A. Dmitruchina of Detroit Lodge No. 7.
Captain Dmitruchina’s passion for boating began during his childhood visits to his grandparents’ home on Pelee Island, Ontario, where he quickly become fascinated by the passing ships. After acquiring his Merchant Mariner credential, Dmitruchina began his career in earnest, ultimately finding a home on tugboats in positions of increasing responsibility. In 2010, he became Captain on the tugboat Demolen for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Detroit District, a job he has loved for more than 15 years!
Mariners’ Church, one of the oldest remaining buildings on the Detroit riverfront, is a national historic landmark. The church was founded in 1842 as a place for visiting sailors from around the world to worship without the pew fees that were commonplace at other churches. The historic church today is a welcoming “house of prayer for all people” who wish to visit or participate in its services. The church is located at 170 E. Jefferson Ave. It was moved about 200 yards from its original location on the foot of Woodward Ave. in 1955.
“Mariners was a gift to the sailors who prayed in the church when it was built,” says Rev. Meyer. “Today we think of it as a treasure for the City of Detroit and welcome one and all to join our services. The Blessing of the Fleet is an especially beautiful service and we hope it will attract a big congregation on March 9, mariners or not. All are welcome!”
Mariners’ has recently benefitted from significant interior and exterior renovations. In 2023, Mariners’ replaced the 19-foot-high spires on the four corners of the church’s roof, missing since 1871. The spires, which are uplit at night, are each topped by a sculpted copper fleur-de-lis, a nod to the city’s French heritage, and an impressive, albeit small, enhancement to the evolving skyline of Detroit.
