H.E. Dr. George Abela, President of Malta, paid a courtesy visit to Xaghra Gozo last Sunday, follwoing a formal invitation by the Xaghra Local Council.

This was one of the last visits that the President is carrying out in various localities in Malta and Gozo before ending his Presidency during the first week of April.

The President was welcomed on the Xaghra Parish Church’s parvis by Mayor M. Joe Cordina and by Xaghra Archpriest Mgr Carmelo Refalo.

The President attended Mass, which was celebrated by Archpriest Refalo together with six other Xaghra priests. The Liturgy was animated by the Xaghra Parish Choir, Voci Angeliche, which was led by Mrs. Grace Vella and accompanied on the organ by organist Mro. Ivan Attard.

The celebration of Mass was followed by a social gathering on the church parvis during which the President had the opportunity to speak with Xaghra residents and with representatives from the various social organisations found in Xaghra.

For this occasion, there was a display of lace works on the church parvis and the Xaghra Scouts Group organised some fun games for children.

After the exchange of memtos and the occasional speeches by Mayor Joe Cordina and by the President himself, the President paid a courtesy visit to the Victory Philharmonic Society’s Band Club where he was welcomed by the Band’s President Mr. Eucharist Sultana and all the members of the Committee including the present music conductor, the assistant music conductor and some bandsmen.

The President also visited the ‘Dun Alwi Camilleri’ Hall, the main hall of this band club, where he was given some history about this band, the first one to be founded in Gozitan villages in October 1898.

The President H.E. Dr. George Abela signed the visitors’ book and Eucharist Sultana, on behalf of the Victory Band’s Committee, presented him with a CD containing various festive band marches which were recorded last year and a copy of the publication which the Society published in September 2013 as part of the annual titular feast of Maria Bambina.

Photo shows – from left Loraine Borg, Joseph Attard, President Abela, The Minister for Gozo Dr Anton Refalo and Xaghra Mayor Joe Cordina – Photograph courtesy of Xaghra Scout Group

Permalink: H.E. Dr. George Abela pays a courtesy visit to in Xaghra