The Barbarèla was a kind of lottery, where young noblemen could enter the Maggior Consiglio before the normal age of twenty-five.
On the day of Santa Barbara, the Doge drew a lot, allowing young noblemen to enter the Consiglio Maggiore before the age of 25.
“Barbarèla” from the Dizionario del Dialetto Veneziano by Giuseppe Boerio.
“Barbarela” from the Lessico Veneto (1851) by Fabio Mutinelli, translated by René Seindal.