This weekend a programme of activities get underway for the traditional feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot, which is being celebrated in Xaghra on Sunday, the 22nd of January.

In the morning there will be a programme of external events and then in the afternoon a procession with the statue of St Anthony the Abbot will leave from the Basilica, accompanied by the Victory band and afterwards there will be the blessing of animals on St Anton Square.

Saint Anthony enjoys great devotion in Xaghra. In fact, he was the first patron saint of Xaghra Parish between 1688 and 1692 before the construction of Xaghra Parish Church which was dedicated to the Nativity of Our Lady.

Saint Anthony is an important figure in the Catholic Church and he is considered as the Father of Monasticism which started the solitary life in the desert for the service of God. He is the protector Saint of animals.

This is the oldest feast of the blessing of animals, which can trace its beginnings to the time of the Order of St. John when the Grand Master used to send his animals to be blessed.

For more information please contact the Xaghra Local Council by phoning on 00356 21556855 or sending an email to xaghra.lc@gov.mt.

The programme in Maltese is shown in full below:

Programm tal-Festa f’gieh Sant’Anton Abbati fil-knisja ddedikata lilu fix-Xaghra Ghawdex 16 – 22 ta’ Jannar 2017

Is-Sibt 14 ta’ Jannar

7.30pm    Ikla tal-Festa fic-Cirklu taz-Zghazagh organizzata mill-helpers. Biljetti minghand il-helpers

It-Tnejn 16 ta’ Jannar: Jum it-Tfal

6.00pm    Ruzarju meditat mill-Grupp tal-Abbatini.

6.30pm    Quddiesa Kateketika ghat-tfal kollha tal-parrocca tax-Xaghra minn Mons. Arcipriet Carmelo Refalo. Barka Sagramentali. Janima l-grupp tal-kitarri tal-knisja. Tinghata tifkira lit-tfal kollha prezenti.

It-Tlieta 17 ta’ Jannar: Solennita’ Liturgika ta’ Sant’Anton Abbati

9.00am    Pellegrinagg u Quddiesa mill-Parrocca tal-Katidral.

1.00pm    Pellegrinagg u Quddiesa mill-Parrocca tal-Fontana.

5.30pm    Adorazzjoni Ewkaristika Komunitarja u Talba tar-Ruzarju.

6.00pm     Kant tat-Tieni Ghasar immexxi minn Mons. Anton Refalo Zammit.

6.30pm    Koncelebrazzjoni Solenni mmexxija minn Mons. Carmelo Refalo, Arcipriet tal-parrocca tax-Xaghra, li fiha jinseg kuruna ta’ taghlim dwar Sant’Anton Abbati. Kurunella, kant tal-Innu Popolari u Barka Sagramentali. Jiehdu sehem orkestrina u l-Kor Stella Maris taht id-direzzjoni ta’ Mro. Carmel P. Grech.

L-Erbgha 18 ta’ Jannar: L-Ewwel Jum tat-Tridu Solenni

9.00am    Quddiesa ghall-morda u l-anzjani. Wara, riceviment fic-Cirklu taz-Zghazagh. Attivita’ organizzata mill-Kunsill Lokali tax-Xaghra.

6.00pm    Ruzarju meditat.

6.30pm    Quddiesa Solenni minn Dun Richard Nazzareno Farrugia, Rettur tas-Seminarju tal-Qalb ta’ Gesu’. Omelija tal-Ewwel Jum tat-Tridu mill-Kan. Joseph Zammit. Tigi pprezentata Borza ta’ Studju lis-Seminarju ta’ Ghawdex fil-150 sena mit-twaqqif tieghu. Kurunella, kant tal-Innu Popolari u Barka Sagramentali.

Il-Hamis 19 ta’ Jannar: It-Tieni Jum tat-Tridu Solenni

4.30pm    Pellegrinagg u Quddiesa Kateketika ghat-tfal tal-Parrocca ta’ San Lawzenz.

6.00pm    Ruzarju meditat.

6.30pm    Quddiesa Solenni minn Mons. Joseph Curmi, Arcipriet tal-Parrocca ta’ San Gorg, Il-Belt Victoria. Omelija tat-Tieni Jum tat-Tridu mill-Kan. Joseph Zammit. Janima l-Liturgija kor immexxi u akkumpanjat bl-orgni minn Ivan Attard. Kurunella, kant tal-Innu Popolari u Barka Sagramentali.

Il-Gimgha 20 ta’ Jannar: It-Tielet Jum tat-Tridu Solenni

7.30am    Quddiesa mill-Kan. Gwann Sultana, Rettur, li taghti bidu ghal Gurnata Adorazzjoni Ewkaristika Solenni.

Illum il-Knisja tkun miftuha l-gurnata kollha ghall-Adorazzjoni. Insibu hin biex nigu naduraw lill-Mulej.

4.30pm    Pellegrinagg u Quddiesa mill-knisja tar-Raghaj it-Tajjeb, Tac-Cawla.

6.00pm    Ruzarju meditat.

6.30pm    Quddiesa Solenni minn Mons. Joseph Sultana, Arcipriet tal-Parrocca tal-Katidral ta’ Marija Assunta, Il-Belt Victoria. Omelija tat-Tielet Jum tat-Tridu mill-Kan. Joseph Zammit. Janima l-Liturgija kor immexxi u akkumpanjat bl-orgni minn Ivan Attard. Kurunella, kant tal-Innu Popolari u Barka Sagramentali.

Is-Sibt 21 ta’ Jannar: Lejlet il-Festa ta’ Sant’Anton Abbati

6.00pm     Translazzjoni bir-Relikwa ta’ Sant’ Anton Abbati u Kant tal-Ewwel Ghasar immexxi mill-Kan. Gwann Bartolo.

6.30pm    Koncelebrazzjoni Solenni mmexxija minn Mons. Tarcisio Camilleri, Vigarju Generali ghad-Djocesi ta’ Ghawdex. Kurunella, kant tal-Innu Popolari u Barka Sagramentali. Janima l-Liturgija l-Kor Voci Angeliche taht id-direzzjoni ta’ Grace Vella u akkumpanjat bl-orgni minn Ivan Attard.

Il-Hadd 22 ta’ Jannar – Jum il-Festa ta’ Sant’Anton Abbati

Quddies bl-omelija:    6.00am, 7.00am, 8.30am (Koncelebrazzjoni), 11.00am, 12.00pm u 6.30pm.

8.30am    Koncelebrazzjoni Solenni mmexxija mill-E.T. Mons. Mario Grech, Isqof ta’ Ghawdex. Janima l-Liturgija l-Kor Djocesan taz-Zghazagh taht id-direzzjoni ta’ Dorianne Portelli. Din il-quddiesa tkun imxandra diretta fuq Radju RTK u Radju Bambina.

9.30am    Marc mill-Banda Victory tax-Xaghra minn hdejn il-belvedere ta’ San Marzjal sal-knisja.

10.00am    Hrug tal-vara ta’ Sant’Anton mill-knisja tieghu. Il-Banda Victory issellem lill-Qaddis bil-kant tal-Innu u wara takkumpanja l-vara li tingarr fuq iz-zwiemel sa Pjazza Sant’Anton fejn isir it-tberik tradizzjonali taz-zwiemel minn Mons. Arcipriet Carmelo Refalo. Il-vara tkun akkumpanjata minn zwiemel tas-Sezzjoni tal-Kavallerija tal-Pulizija ta’ Malta.

10.15am    Minn Pjazza il-Vitorja jitlaq reenactment bil-karozzella tal-Granmastru akkumpanjat mill-gwardji organizzata mix-Xaghra Historical Reenactment Organisation. Mal-wasla fi Pjazza Sant’Anton isir it-tberik taz-zwiemel tal-Granmastru li jfakkar it-tradizzjoni meta ta’ kull sena fil-festa ta’ Sant’Anton Abbati, l-Granmastru kien jibghat iz-zwiemel tieghu ghat-tberik.

10.30am    Sfilata taz-zwiemel li tghaddi mit-Toroq San Guzepp, Knisja u Misrah il-Vitorja akkumpanjata mill-Banda Victory. L-istatwa ta’ Sant’Anton Abbati tiddahhal fil-Bazilika ta’ Marija Bambina.

11.00am    Fi Pjazza Sant’Anton, is-Sezzjoni tal-Klieb tal-Pulizija ta’ Malta taghti dimostrazzjoni tal-hiliet tal-klieb taghha.

11.00am    Reptile Show fi Pjazza Sant’Anton Abbati organizzata mill-Malta Herpetological Society bil-kollaborazzjoni tal-Kunsill Lokali Xaghra.

11.00am    Rodent Show fi Pjazza Sant’Anton Abbati organizzata mill-Malta Rodent Society bil-kollaborazzjoni tal-Kunsill Lokali Xaghra.

11.00am    Fl-inhawi tal-knisja ta’ Sant’Anton Abbati, Wirja tal-Fniek u dimostrazzjoni dwar it-trobbija tal-Fniek fi Pjazza Sant’Anton Abbati organizzata minn The Malta Rabbit Club bil-kollaborazzjoni tal-Kunsill Lokali Xaghra.

11.30am    Dawra madwar ix-Xaghra bil-Calypso Fun Train.

1.00pm    Tlielaq tat-tfal fi Triq Sant’Anton organizzati mill-Kunsill Lokali Xaghra. Jinghataw medalji lill-partecipanti kollha u trophies lir-rebbieha tal-kategoriji tas-subien u bniet. It-tfal kollha mistiedna jiehdu sehem.

4.00pm    Fil-Bazilika ta’ Marija Bambina, Kant Solenni tat-Tieni Ghasar immexxi mill-E.T. Mons. Isqof Mario Grech.

4.15pm    Marc mill-Banda Victory minn quddiem il-Kazin tal-istess Socjeta’ sa Misrah il-Vitorja.

4.30pm    Purcissjoni bil-vara ta’ Sant’Anton Abbati li tghaddi minn Misrah il-Vitorja, Triq it-28 ta’ April 1688 u Pjazza Sant’Anton. Takkumpanja l-Banda Victory bid-daqq ta’ marci brijuzi.

5.00pm    Fi Pjazza Sant’Anton, isir it-tberik tradizzjonali tal-annimali u l-pets immexxi mill-E.T. Mons. Isqof Mario Grech. Wara, titkompla l-Purcissjoni sal-knisja ta’ Sant’Anton fejn jitkanta t-Te Deum u tinghata l-Barka Sagramentali li taghlaq il-festa f’gieh Sant’Anton Abbati.

6.30pm    Quddiesa minn Mons. Guzeppi Attard.

Kulhadd mistieden jiehu sehem f’dawn ic-celebrazzjonijiet. Il-funzjonijiet ser ikunu mxandra b’mod dirett fuq Radju Bambina (98.3 FM).

Photographs by Alain Salvary

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