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Around 100 motorcyclists raised €1,000 in aid of Puttinu Cares on Thursday during the annual Santa Maria pilgrimage from Mgarr to Dingli.
Now in its seventh year, the event is organised by the parishes of Mġarr and Dingli, both dedicated to St Mary.
According to Mario Micallef, a volunteer on the organizing committee, the pilgrimage is first and foremost an act of veneration for the Virgin Mary, a display of solidarity between parishes, and also a “delightful activity.”
Before the pilgrimage began, Angele Cuschieri and Rennie Zerafa of Puttinu Cares, a charity that supports Maltese patients in their treatment abroad, thanked the participants and said that continued funding was needed to help patients and their families.
The pilgrimage started in Meghal, where Father Noel Vassallo addressed the participants. The group then passed through Mosta, Attard, Mriel and Kormi. The journey continued through Zebbouj and Rabat, and finally reached the village square of Dingli.
Upon arriving in Dingli, the motorcyclists were greeted by High Priest David Farrugia, who led them in prayer and blessed the participants.
“It was wonderful to see everyone come together,” Micallef later recalled. “It gave us the opportunity to celebrate Santa Maria in a unique way.”
Santa Maria’s Day is a festival deeply rooted in Maltese culture and is celebrated with special reverence in Mġarr, Dingli and Żebbuġ in Gozo on the Sunday after August 15. On the 15th, Attard, Mqabba, Qrendi, Mosta, Gudja and he smiled.
The festival is historically significant due to its connection to the Second World War. The arrival of the British convoy Operation Pedestal in August 1942 was considered a miracle. Facing fierce attacks from the Axis powers, only 5 of the 14 merchant ships reached Malta, including the vital tanker Ohio.
The arrival of the dying Ohio brought vital supplies to the island, and coincided with the Feast of Santa Maria, a religious celebration that has taken place annually on the island ever since.
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