Sun, 06/21/2020 - 19:50

KEVIN BURNHAM

Area clergy members, from left, Rev. Richard Rego, Rev. Peter Ilgenfritz, Rev. Maria Hoecker and Rev. Katherine Pinkham, blessed the 36 fishing boats from the Boothbay Harbor Fish Pier during the Blessing of the Fleet event on Sunday afternoon, June 21. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Area clergy gather at the Boothbay Harbor Fish Pier to conduct the Blessing of the Fleet. From left are Rev. Richard Rego, Rev. Maria Hoecker, Rev. Katherine Pinkham and Rev. Peter Ilgenfritz. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Douglas Carter leads the parade of boats. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Douglas Carter leads the parade of boats. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

Thirty-six fishing boats motored past the Boothbay Harbor Fish Pier Sunday afternoon, June 21 as area clergy blessed them with kind words and holy water. The Blessing of the Fleet event was salvaged from the annual Windjammer Days festival, canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Four clergy members conducted the blessing – Rev. Katherine Pinkham of Edgecomb Community Church, Rev. Maria Hoecker of St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, Rev. Richard Rego of the United Methodist Churches of the Boothbay region, and Rev. Peter Ilgenfritz, interim pastor of Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor.

As usual, many of the boats carried friends and family members for the event, which was preceded by bell ringing at the nearby Catholic Church. The usual Memorial Service was not held.