The municipal administration and Pula's parish priest Don Benigno Lai commissioned the work to artist Angelo Manca, and every year since that day, the bond between the Madonna del Mare and the inhabitants of Pula is consolidated with a solemn sacred ceremony.

The event begins in the morning with the celebration of Holy Mass in front of the Church of Sant’Efis the Martyr in Nora.

At the end of the mass, an evocative sea procession begins: several boats move a few dozen metres from the beach of Nora, stopping exactly at the point where the statue of the Virgin Mary is positioned several metres below the surface.

Here, flower petals are scattered into the sea, the same way that they carpet the roads for the procession of Sant'Efis. Divers then lay a wreath on the statue, which is there to protect all those who navigate that stretch of coastline from the dangers of the sea. Serving as a backdrop to this spiritual moment is the natural setting of the beautiful bay of Nora. This is a fascinating, mystical and evocative event that attracts many believers and spectators.