The feast of St Vincent Ferrer, one of the greatest saints of the Order of Preachers, is being celebrated at St Dominic’s parish church, Valletta, tomorrow Saturday, May 10.

Today being the last of the three days of the feast’s triduum, Fr Joseph Ellul OP will celebrate mass at 6.15pm and deliver a homily.

During these days, new members are joining the confraternity of St Vincent Ferrer and the devotional water of St Vincent will be blessed.

On the feast day tomorrow, solemn mass will be said at 6.15pm, led by St John’s Co-Cathedral rector Mgr Paul Carmel Vella. A procession with the statue and relic of the saint will leave the church at around 7pm.

The confraternity of St Vincent Ferrer, housed at the parish church of Our Lady of Porto Salvo and St Dominic in Valletta, was founded in 1576.

Traditionally women expecting a child were devotees of St Vincent at a time when infant mortality was high due to the lack of availability of proper medication and treatment.

Prayer was the only solace in those difficult times. The confraternity used to carry a reliquary of the saint to the homes of women about to give birth to support them with prayers for a safe delivery.

St Vincent Ferrer, often depicted with wings, was known as ‘The Angel of Judgment’. He converted many thousands of non-believers both within and outside of his native Spain.