The official presentation of the historic stone statue of San Gorg tal-Hagar will take place during a special evening at Il-Hagar Museum.

The statue was originally moved to the museum in March last year from its location in front of the sanctuary of Our Lady of Pompei on Dr Anton Tabone Street, Victoria, Gozo, where it has stood since the 1920s, to the Il-Hagar Museum, where it went on permanent display.

The relocation of the statue held all the necessary Planning Authority clearance, and the entire process was monitored by officials from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, the museum said.

During the official presentation event, which will be held on Friday, the 7th of November, starting at 7.30pm, Museum Founder and Curator Mgr Dr Joseph Farrugia will deliver a short talk entitled Religion on the Street, in which he will reflect on the significance of historic street shrines in the streets of Gozo and beyond.

Considered one of the oldest, if not the oldest, roadside statues in Gozo, the statue of San Gorg tal-Hagar was originally created for the corner of St George’s Street and Library Street in Victoria but was replaced in 1925 with a larger version by Guzeppi Agius.

An early 20th-century aquarelle by Edward Caruana Dingli (now housed at MUZA, the National Museum of Art, in Valletta) which depicts the statue in its original setting, has been loaned by Heritage Malta to Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria and will be on temporary display at Il-Hagar Museum for this special occasion.

Everyone is invited to attend, admission is free, but seat reservations are advised by sending an email to events@heartofgozo.org.mt

File photo: Il-Hagar Museum

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