This weekend the city of Victoria is celebrating St George’s Feast, as is the tradition on the third Sunday in July, it is Gozo’s annual St George’s Day.

The streets of Victoria will be packed this weekend with locals, Maltese and tourists, all enjoying this popular feast, which this year also marks the 175th anniversary of the titular statue of St George, carved in wood by Pietro Paola Azzopardi in 1839.

This year to mark this special anniversary the Holy Relic of the arm of St George, venerated at the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore on the homonymous island in Venice since 1296, was brought to Gozo last Tuesday for the special festivities.

The celebrations in Victoria are organised by St George’s Basilica and the details for the weekend of St George’s Feast are shown below:

Saturday: VIGIL OF THE SOLEMNITY – CONCLUSION OF THE SOLEMN TRIDUUM

10.00am: Pontifical concelebration presided by H.L. Mgr Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, archbishop of Minsk and Mahilyow, Belarus, with the participation of the Collegiate Chapter and clergy of the basilica, concluding with the solemn singing of the Te Deum hymn.

VIGIL OF THE SOLEMNITY

5.00pm: Vigil Mass.

6.00pm: The La Stella Band marches from Republic Street to St George’s Square where it welcomes H.L. Mgr Mario Grech, Bishop of Gozo, who arrives at the square from the Bishop’s Palace in Republic Street, accompanied by the Collegiate Chapter and the clergy of the basilica.

6.30pm: SOLEMN TRANSLATION AND PONTIFICAL CELEBRATION OF THE FIRST VESPERS OF THE SOLEMNITY, PRESIDED BY H.L. MGR MARIO GRECH, BISHOP OF GOZO AND DEAN OF THE COLLEGIATE, ASSISTED BY A DELEGATION OF THE CATHEDRAL CHAPTER AND THE COLLEGIATE CHAPTER IN URBE, AND WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF THE SACRED, MILITARY AND CONSTANTINIAN ORDER OF ST GEORGE.

7.45pm: Eucharistic Benediction celebrated by Mgr Joseph Farrugia, archpriest emeritus of the basilica, president of the commission The Church in Malta and in Europe of the Maltese Episcopal Conference, and Diocesan Delegate for Culture.

The Vespri per la Solennità di San Giorgio Martire (Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia, 1900) for soloists, choir a 4 voci pari and orchestra is performed. The two antiphons Beatus Georgius, composed by Mro Paolo Fiammingo (pre-1890) and Mgr Farrugia (1897), together with the Tantum Ergo in onore di San Giorgio Martire (Mgr Farrugia, 1901), are also performed.

External Festivites

8.00pm: Musical programme at St George’s Square executed by King’s Own Band (Valletta), under the direction of Mro Dr John Galea.

9.30pm: At St George’s Square, the La Stella Band, under the direction of Mro Joseph Vella, executes the immortal hymn A San Giorgio Martire (Prof. Luigi Billion – Mro Giuseppe Giardini Vella).

10.00pm: The La Stella and King’s Own (Valletta) Bands participate as a massed band in the triumphal and unique march along Republic Street. Grand fireworks display at Republic Street.

Sunday: SOLEMNITY OF ST GEORGE

8.00am: The Collegiate Chapter and clergy of the basilica accompany H.L. Mgr Mario Grech from the Bishop’s Palace at Republic Street to the basilica. Celebration of Terce at the major sacristy of the basilica.

8.30am: PONTIFICAL CONCELEBRATION PRESIDED BY H.L. MGR MARIO GRECH, BISHOP OF GOZO AND DEAN OF THE COLLEGIATE, ASSISTED BY A DELEGATION OF THE CATHEDRAL CHAPTER, THE COLLEGIATE CHAPTER, THE CLERGY OF THE URBAN BASILICA, AND MEMBERS OF THE SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS CLERGY. THE BISHOP DELIVERS A HOMILY WITH WORDS OF PRAISE AND GLORY TO ST GEORGE, PATRON OF THE DIOCESE. MARIE-LOUISE COLEIRO PRECA, PRESIDENT OF MALTA, HEADS THE CONGREGATION.

The Mass in D in honour of St George “Princeps Martyrum” (Joseph Vella, 1976) for soloists, choir a 4 voci dispari and orchestra are executed. Soloists Miriam Cauchi (soprano), Antonino Interisano (tenor) and Dario Russo (bass), and the Laudate Pueri Choir of the basilica take part.

11.00am: The San Gorg (Hal Qormi) and Santa Margerita (Ta’ Sannat) Bands lead the popular band march at the heart of Victoria.

Evening

5.00pm: Last Mass for the day, celebrated by Mgr Guzeppi Attard, archpriest of the Cathedral parish.

6.00pm: Solemn celebration of the Second Vespers of the solemnity, presided by Mgr Salvatore Di Cristina, archbishop emeritus of Monreale, Sicily.

It-Tieni Vespri tas-Solennità ta’ San Gorg, composed by Prof. Joseph Vella, will be performed by the Laudate Pueri Choir.

6.15pm: The La Stella Band marches from Republic Street to St George’s Square.

7.00pm: The La Stella Band of Victoria hails the appearance of the statue of the diocese’s heavenly protector at the bronze portals of the parish of Gozo, with the religious hymn Georgius natus est (Can. Joe Mejlak – Prof. Joseph Vella).

7.15pm: The Gozitans present in the square join the La Stella Band in saluting their patron saint with the execution of the immortal hymn A San Giorgio Martire (Prof. Luigi Billion – Mro Giuseppe Giardini Vella), with the participation of tenor Antonino Interisano (Italy), bass Dario Russo (Italy) and the choir of the Philarmonic Society.

7.30pm: PONTIFICAL PROCESSION ALONG THE MAIN STREETS OF THE CITY, LED BY ARCHPRIEST MGR SALVATORE DI CRISTINA, WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF THE COLLEGIATE CHAPTER, THE CLERGY OF THE URBAN BASILICA, MEMBERS OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS OF VICTORIA, SEMINARIANS OF THE DIOCESE AND THE CONFRATERNITIES OF THE PARISH. THE LA STELLA BAND ACCOMPANIES THE PROCESSION WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF RELIGIOUS HYMNS.

8.15pm: Band march by the Mnarja (Nadur) Band, from St Francis’ Square to St George’s Square, followed by a musical programme at the square by the same band, under the direction of Mro Joseph Grech.

10.00pm: The Maltese and Gozitan crowds present in Victoria greet the statue of St George at the square as the procession arrives at the basilica, with the singing of the popular hymn Lill-Kbir Martri ta’ Kristu (Rev. Accursio Xerri ofm – Mro Vincenzo Ciappara).

10.30pm: Triumphal entrance of the statue of St George at the basilica, followed by the execution of the popular Antiphon Beatus Georgius and Eucharistic Benediction, celebrated by Archpriest Mgr Pawlu Cardona as a conclusion to Gozo’s feast in honour of its patron St George.

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