The feast of Santa Marija at the Gozo cathedral will be celebrated on Thursday, August 15. A holy triduum of preparation is being held until tomorrow, Tuesday, August 13.

During these three days, vespers will be sung at 6.30pm, followed by the recitation of the chaplet (kurunella) in honour of the Assumption by Ludovico Mifsud-Tommasi, a tradition that started in 1828, and sung mass with homily by Fr Karl Scerri. Afterwards, there is the singing of the antiphon and benediction. The Cappella Sanctae Mariae, under the direction of Matthew Sultana and the orchestra, under the baton of Mro Joseph Debrincat, maestro di cappella, will take part.

On Wednesday, eve of the feast, there will be a special mass for children with the participation of the Aurora Youth Choir at 10am, followed by the traditional children’s march during which they carry a large flag that, later, will be raised on top of the Leone Band Club in Republic Street. Gozo Bishop Anton Teuma will lead the procession of the translation of the relic from Savina church to the cathedral with the participation of the Leone Band at 6pm, followed by pontifical vespers. Archpriest Joseph Sultana will lead a concelebrated mass on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of the crowning of the Assumption altarpiece at 7.30pm.

The statue of Santa Marija venerated at the cathedral.

On Thursday, feast day, Mgr Teuma will lead a concelebrated pontifical mass with the participation of the cathedral chapter, priests and members of religious orders at 9am. He will also deliver the homily. The Missa Maria in cœlum Assumpta by Mro Ray Sciberras will be sung.

After mass, Mgr Teuma will confer the title of Ġieħ il-Parroċċa on members of the parish who have worked for community. The congregation will be led by President Myriam Spiteri Debono, who is from Victoria.

Parish vicar Daniel Sultana will celebrate mass for children and their families at 11am.

The second vespers will be sung at 6pm, followed by the procession with the beautiful statue of Santa Marija – sculpted in Rome in 1897 – at 6.45pm. The Leone Band, under the direction of Colin Attard, will play the hymn Per la festa di Maria Assunta (1913). An aerial firework display by Vampa Organisation will start at 7pm. During the procession, the San Ġużepp Band of Għajnsielem will play at Cathedral Square, while the Victory Band of Xagħra will perform at Independence Square.

The traditional Santa Marija agricultural and industrial show is opening at Rundle Gardens in Victoria from tomorrow, Tuesday afternoon, until Thursday morning.

The Gozo Cathedral has been dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven probably since the Byzantine rule over Malta and Gozo. There was a church on the same site dedicated to the Dormitio, as the feast is referred to in the Byzantine Church. It eventually became the church of Santa Marija, as the feast is referred to in Malta and nearby Sicily.