Gozo News

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Victoria holds Santa Maria celebrations Celebrations of the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, also known as the Feast of Santa Maria, are expected to attract thousands of people to Gozo for today’s festival.

The external events programme at the Victoria Centre is organised by the Lyon Philharmonic Society and Ghaqda Zghazagh Iljuni.

The feast day of St. Mary on 15 August is also celebrated in seven villages in Malta: Attard, Dingli, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Mosta, Mqabba and Qrendi.

Today also marks the 82nd anniversary of the arrival of the Santa Maria convoy in Malta. This is a great chapter in Malta’s history.

Officially known as Operation Pedestal, the Allied food and fuel convoy arrived in Malta on 15 August 1942, saving it from surrender, despite heavy bombing by German and Italian aircraft, which sunk many ships.

The tanker Ohio and its escorts barely made it to Malta, but the ships delivered the vital supplies that saved Malta from surrendering.

The following activities will be held on Thursday, August 15, the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary:

The traditional Santa Maria Agricultural Fair opens at 7 a.m. The awards ceremony takes place at 11 a.m. and the fair closes at 1 p.m.

9:00am – Solemn High Mass celebrated in Gozo Cathedral by Bishop Anton Teuma of Gozo, with the choir and orchestra taking part, and the congregation led by President Myriam Spiteri Debono.

11:00am – Traditional and popular bands parade through Victoria’s historic centre and through Victoria’s narrow streets. The 12th of May (Haz-Zebbug) and St Joseph’s (Hal-Ghaxaq) bands will take part.

2:15pm – The traditional and popular band parade will end at Independence Square with a spectacular fireworks display synchronized with the music organized by Ghaqda Zghazagh Iljuni

6:45 pm – Solemn procession with the statue of Santa Maria (1896). The Leone band plays the acclaimed hymn “Assumption of the Virgin” (1913) as a moving opening to the procession, which passes through the old streets of the historic center of the city.

During the four-hour parade, which is performed by the Leon Band, there will be colorful fireworks.

8pm: The St. Joseph Band (Ghajnsielem) marches from the Band Club to the Cathedral, where it performs a musical program.

8pm: Xaghra band performs music at Independence Square.

10:00pm – A spectacular, loud fireworks display coordinated by Vampa is set off over Gelmus Hill, visible from Gozo Cittadella.

10:30pm – The statue of Holy Mary enters Gozo Cathedral in a solemn procession and the torchlight procession gathers in the main square and passages of Cittadella.