Coming up

¤ The feast of the Visitation of Our Lady is being celebrated in Gharb today. At 9 a.m. Bishop Cauchi will concelebrate a solemn Mass with the collegiate chapter and deliver the panegyric.

The St Margaret Band will play marches at 11 a.m.

Solemn vespers, led by Mgr Benedict Camilleri, will be sung at 6.30 p.m. and at 7.45 the Vicar-General, Mgr Giovanni B. Gauci, will lead the procession with the titular statue, accompanied by the Peace Band of Naxxar.

At the end of the procession there will be a sacramental blessing, while the Leone Band will give a programme on the bandstand in the village square and the St Mary Band of Zebbug will play marches.

¤ The Victoria International Arts Festival continues this week at St George's Basilica, Victoria. The Oden Ensemble for Contemporary Music from France will perform today at 8 p.m.

A duo recital by violinists Richard Axon and David Johnson from the UK will be held tomorrow, followed by a choral recital by the London Festival Singers on Wednesday.

¤ An oils and watercolour exhibition entitled Catch the Light, by Thailia Stones, will be opened at the Exhibition Hall on St Francis Square, Victoria, tomorrow. The show will be open Monday to Friday from 8.30 a.m. till 12.30 p.m.

¤ A Kercemfest, sponsored by the local council, as part of the celebrations of next Sunday's feast of Our Lady of Succour, will be held at Kercem on Tuesday at 9 p.m. Presented by Analise Ellul. The event will feature singers Lynn Chircop, Lawrence Gray, Julie Zahra, Ludwig Galea, Alison Vella, Chantel Schembri and Christabel Formosa. Kercem youths will present a comedy.

The Precursor Band will play marches on Wednesday at 9.30 p.m., on Thursday at 8 p.m. the Mancinelli Band from Orvieto, Italy, and the St Gregory Band will perform. On Friday at 9.30 p.m. the St Gregory Band will be joined by the Victory Band.

On Saturday at 6.30 p.m. the relics of Our Lady will be carried from the chapel of the Carmelite Sisters' convent to the parish church, where Mgr Joseph Grech will lead a concelebrated Mass.

Marches will be played by the Leone and St Gregory bands at 9.30 p.m., followed by a performance by the Mancinelli Band on the square.

There will be ground and air fireworks displays.

¤ A barbecue and disco night, in aid of the feast of Our Lady of Loreto of Ghajnsielem, is being organised by the feast decorations committee on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets, at Lm2.50 (Lm2 for children), may be obtained from members of the committee.

¤ The Cardinal Archbishop of New York, Mgr Edward Michael Egan, who is a special guest for this year's centenary feast of St George in Victoria, is giving a public lecture on "The Church in Contemporary Society: Challenges and Priorities" on Friday at 6 p.m. at the St George's Cultural Centre.

Since the number of places is limited, one should call the parish office on 2155-6377 to reserve a seat.

¤ A pilgrimage to Lourdes is being organised by the St George parish committee from August 8 to 13. Those wishing to join it should call Mgr Salv Borg, on 2155-6578 or the parish office on 2155-6377.