My husband and I will be in Venice on a Sunday, and we would like to attend mass. I'm looking for the "old world" traditional experience - possibly a beautiful choir too.

Have any of you had an experience like this? Which churches would you suggest?

Many thanks in advance!

http://www.venice-art-tours.com/church.html

You could have an amazing Sunday double header by going to Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari from 9 to 10 a.m. (if you haven't been yet, go extra early to see the fabulous art).

Then, go over to San Giorgio Maggiore for the Gregorian chant at 11 a.m. (You can make it if you plan your route on the vaporetto.) Afterwards, go up the Campanile for a great view back to Piazza San Marco.

Well,this is not the most obscure choice but I would go to San Marco Church.We went on a Palm Sunday Service.There is a very nice choir.the floor is uneven so you have to be careful where you set,otherwise its uncomfortable sitting.But the floor has settled I guess in the last 1000 years! RR

I attended Sunday mass in the Basilica San Marco and it was absolutely beautiful. I went to the 5:30 Mass which included music. The Basilica has a website which has the complete schedule and tells which services include choirs, music etc.

Thank you all.
Annie - do you possibly have that website handy for the basilica?
I've tried googling for it with no success.
Grazie

http://www.basilicasanmarco.it


There's an English version; click on "liturgical calendar" and then you'll see the Mass schedule.

Have a great trip!

Don't forget to read AnnieNC's article about Favorite Lesser Known Churches in Venice.

I vote for the Frari too; it is my favorite church - possibly in the world, but you could also go to any of the Palladian Churches such as San Giorgio or Il Redentore for an uplifting experience. Santa Maria La Salute has regular masses too, and there are many smaller churches throughout Venice that would offer moving moments of their own. But, for me, there is no place like the Frari. Ruth

I think it was San Zulian (near San Marco) that we stumbled into by accident on our last trip. My feet hurt and I needed to sit down or die, and I was just blown away by this tiny but sumptuously beatuful church.
The pillars were hung with burgundy velvet draperies and everything was just so lush...

I don't know how their services are (as a non-catholic it feels wrong for me to be wandering around gawking at the pretty art while people are attending a religious ceremony...) but the setting was stellar.

I too was taken by San Zulian. It also has the advantage of an English Mass on Sunday. One small chuckle, I went there early one Sunday and was praying before Mass and all of the sudden the priest comes up and asks me to do the readings--I was shocked but managed to muddle through. They did not have music either time I was there.

The Basilica. Definitely.