Żebbuġ parish will on Sunday celebrate the feast of St Fortunatus. Tomorrow, Fr Marcello Ghirlando ofm will celebrate Mass and a healing service a 6pm, followed by Eucharistic Benediction. On Sunday, vespers will be recited at 4.30pm, followed by a concelebrated Mass by Mgr Joseph Attard, with the participation of youths who will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. After Mass, there will be Holy Eucharist Benediction, followed by the kissing of the reliquary of St Fortunatus. The orchestra will be under the direction of Mro Franco Cefai. The Santa Marija and Reġina Angelorum choirs will take part.

The remains of St Fortunatus venerated at Żebbuġ parish are incorporated in what is known as corpo santo. Originally, the body of the Roman martyr was brought from the Catacombs of St Agnes in Rome.

The remains of St Fortunatus were the property of politician Fortunato Mizzi of Valletta, who later donated it to Żebbuġ parish. Till 1920, the remains were kept in a sealed box, until parish priest Mikielang Cauchi decided to incorporate the remains into a statue of a young Roman soldier who was martyred in Rome.

The statue was made in 1922 by Agostino Camilleri. It was brought in procession from St George’s parish church in Victoria to Żebbug parish church on July 16, 1922.

The statue – in a horizontal position – was restored by the Camilleri Cauchi brothers of Għarb (Ta’ Wistinu) in 2008.