The Maritime Baptism (also known as Neptune’s Baptism) is a traditional event organized annually by the Maritime School (GEPŠ) in Piran to welcome a new generation of future students to the maritime school in Portorož. It represents a symbolic reception of first-year students into the school under the patronage of the sea god Neptune.
The event, which originated from a spontaneous occurrence in 1947, has transcended the boundaries of the school over time, becoming an important maritime ethnographic event. It remains the oldest uninterrupted event in Slovenian Istria and the oldest uninterrupted school event in the country.
Programme
Friday, 6 September (Tartini Square, Piran)
10:00am Musical performance by the kindergartens Mornarček and La cocinella
10:30am Raising of the pirate flag at the lighthouse and arrival of the pirate ship Neptune
11:00am Arrival of Neptune and the pirates in the square
Saturday, 7 September (Fishermen’s Square, Piran)
4:00pm Start of the programme with a presentation of the maritime baptism and a prize quiz
4:30pm Neptune’s procession from the Maritime School to Bernardino and boarding of Neptune and the students on the ships
5:00pm Arrival of the ships with Neptune, procession and performance of the Piran Wind Orchestra
5:20pm Official programme and baptism of the first-year students
Org.: GEPŠ Piran, Unit for Electrical and Maritime School Portorož
