“Memorable is the word I would use to describe the experience I and hundreds of others had yesterday for the inauguration of St. Francis Square.

Beautiful music, excellent Choir very well prepared. The Gozo Minister and Prime Minister gave captivating speeches and Fr. Joseph Xerri OFM Conv prayed for all who’s Square is part of their lives in entertainment work and prayer.

St Francis Square, like many other squares has its own soul. Hosting the General Hospital in its breast, its healing energy was present all around.

The hospital, so the Square, was our refuge where our loved ones were recuperating. I remember seeing long lines of people ready to donate their blood because some person was injured and needed blood. There were no waiting rooms. The blood donors lined up in the square. Most of the wouldn’t be summoned to donate because enough was given, but nevertheless they were there ready and willing.

Months of the Rosary – many were those people with strong tenor voices who daily recited the rosary for all the people mostly from ‘Wara San Frangisk.’ Those like myself who lived behind St. Francis.

Sometimes we had a small band playing “golden oldies.” In those years gone by there was often educational 16mm films projected on a white bed sheets in the square. We had the peanut seller who sold a handful of roasted peanuts for a penny. We had the Luqa Jukebox in a bar which was demolished along with Tapie’s bar, which is named, or so it is said, because of a foreigner who always ordered a Tea and Pie, thus Tapie.

There are many processions that start from Vajringa, continue behind the Cross and enter Palm Street. But the day St. Francis Square is Crowned and is in its highest glory is on the 8th of December every year when the community of Franciscan Friars and the faithful of Gozo celebrate the Solemn Fest of the Immaculate Conception.

This year, Covid permitting, should be a grand and historical event parading through such a beautiful square!

St. Francis Square is rich in history, such as the shelter underneath, caves that housed the early friars, war and the hospital, processions to pray for rain in time of drought, Victoria Hotspurs Championship celebrations, Christmas Cribs and related activities and the visit of 3 days of a Grand Master, I believe De Vilhena, who was so impressed with the hospitality of the Franciscan Friars that he gave a big size of land to them as a gift including the square, hospital, and Villa Rundle, bus terminus and adjacent streets which mostly were bare fields, or so goes the unwritten story.

Now, the 27th of July 2020, the year of the Covid-19 Pandemic will be added to the story of our beloved Square as it’s new facelift was inaugurated.”

Anthony Zammit,

Gozo

Photo: Screengrab facebook

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