This will be quick: On March 25, Venice will begin what is planned to be a year-long celebration of its 1,600th birthday.  (March 25, 421 AD was the beginning of Year One, according to later calculations.  In any case, it was the laying of the first stone of the church of San Giacometo at Rialto.)

Strictly limited by pandemic restrictions, the festivities will begin at 11:00 AM on March 25 with a solemn mass in the basilica of San Marco celebrated by the Patriarch of Venice.  My source says that you can watch this on the network Antenna 3 or on the Facebook page of Gente Veneta, a diocesan magazine.

That afternoon at 4:00 PM, all of the 130 churches in Venice will be ringing their bells.  I don’t know if that will be broadcast.  I’ll be outside with fingers in my ears.

In the evening at 6:30 PM on Rai 2 streaming, will be a concert from La Fenice entitled “Venezia 421-2021.”

I haven’t studied any further details, but for those who’d like to try to watch these two events, happy streaming.  Note that until Saturday night, Venice is 5 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Daylight time (thus, 11:00 AM here is 6:00 AM in Bat Cave, North Carolina).

Meanwhile, some beauty to get you in the mood.