Coming up

¤ The feast of St George is being celebrated in Victoria today.

At 7.45 a.m. the St Margaret Band of Sannat will play marches, accompanied by the chapter and clergy of the Basilica, from Republic Street to St George's Square to welcome Bishop Nikol Cauchi, who is also dean of the collegiate chapter of St George's basilica.

At 8.30, Bishop Cauchi will concelebrate a Pontifical Mass with members of the Cathedral chapter, the collegiate chapter of St George, clergy and members of religious orders. Canon Giovanni B. Cremona, rector of Xlendi church, will deliver the panegyric.

Joseph Vella's Mass in D Major in honour of St George - Princeps Martytum for soloists, choir and orchestra will be performed and directed by Mro Vella himself. Soprano Miriam Cauchi, tenor Salvatore Ragonese and baritone Jaki Jurgec will take part.

At 11, a band march will be held with the participation of St George's Band of Qormi, the St Margaret Band and St Gregory Band of Kercem.

At 6 p.m., vespers will be sung by the Canons of the St John Lateran collegiate church in Rome together with the chapter of St Helen's Basilica of Birkirkara. The celebration will be presided over by Canon Anthony Cassar, archpriest and dean of St Helen's Basilica. The St George second vesper psalms composed by Mro Vella will be performed by the Laudate Pueri Choir.

At 7.15, the La Stella Band will play the hymn A San Giorgio Martire, with the participation of the tenor Ragonese, baritone Jurgec and the choir.

At 7.30, a procession with the statue of St George, led by Bishop Cauchi, with the participation of the La Stella Band, leaves the basilica.

At 7.45, the Nicolò Isouard Band of Mosta, will march from St Francis Square to St George's Square, where it will perform a musical programme.

At 8, the Mnarja Band of Nadur will march from St Francis Square to Independence Square, and will perform on Independence Square.

At 10, the statue of St George, will be brought back to the basilica, accompanied by the singing of the hymn Lil kbir Martri San Gorg.

At 10.30, the feast will end with the singing of the antiphon Beatus Georgius and Eucharistic blessing by Mgr Joseph Farrugia, archpriest of St George's Basilica.

At 11, the La Stella Band will march from Republic Street to St George's Square.

¤ A concert by the Emanuel Youth Choir, UK, is being held tomorrow at 8.15 p.m. at the Basilica of the Nativity, Xaghra.

¤ The Gozitan Group Support lill-Missjunarji is organising a tea tombola in aid of Gozitan missionaries in third world countries at the Crystal Palace, Marsalforn, on Tuesday at 6.30 p.m. Tickets are available from Georgette Bezzina, tel: 2155-8668 or Vicky Said, tel: 2155-3282.

¤ The councils of Sannat and Pisoniano in Italy are signing a twinning agreement in front of the local council office in Sannat Road on Wednesday at 8.30 p.m. The Sannat Talent Show is being put up on Parish Square at 9.30.

Meanwhile, the Italian delegation is being invited to the Sannat parish feast traditional dinner on St Margaret Square on Tuesday at 8.30 p.m.

¤ Nadur Football Club is organising Summerfest, a full day of activities for all the family, at Dahlet Qorrot Bay, from Thursday to Sunday.

¤ A barbecue is being held at Hondoq ir-Rummien Bay, Qala, on Friday at 8.30 p.m. It is being organised by the St Joseph Youth Commission, in aid of the feast of St Joseph at Qala. Tickets at Lm3.50 may be obtained from Ite ad Joseph Band Club.

¤ The Cathedral parish is organising high tea and tombola at the Crystal Palace, Marsalforn, on Friday at 7.30 p.m. Transport leaves Savina Square at 6.45 p.m. Tickets at Lm1.25 may be obtained from Grace Debono, tel: 2155-1460, or from Coney Island Bar (2155-1289).

¤ The Xaghra Amateur Fireworks Society is organising high tea on Friday at 8.30 p.m. in the Youth Circle courtyard. Tickets at Lm1.25 (with a flight to Prague to be won) may be obtained from Vicky Said, Peppa Sultana, Mary Sultana, Michael Sultana or Raymond Bonello.