Gozo parishes row still unresolved

The spat between the two parishes of Victoria about the Good Friday procession, which came to a head on Tuesday when the archpriest of the Cathedral Mgr Joe Vella Gauci tendered his resignation, remains unresolved.

Contacted yesterday, the Gozo Curia reiterated its position that Mgr Vella Gauci was still the parish priest because his resignation had not been accepted.

The Curia also said the situation regarding the Good Friday procession was still fluid.

Mgr Vella Gauci had offered his resignation in the wake of "rumours" of a possible rift between the two parishes over the Good Friday procession, not wanting to be part of a debacle.

The cathedral holds it is its turn to hold the procession, in terms of on an agreement to alternate. But St George's parish wants to hold a procession in the morning to mark Eucharist Year.

Mgr Vella Gauci insisted in comments to the media he was not melodramatic but that he was being serious.

The Leone Philharmonic Society, which forms part of the cathedral parish, held an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday evening explaining to parishioners how things were shaping up.

St George's parish claims that Gozo Bishop Nikol Cauchi has given the green light to the procession "provided the police issue the necessary permit".

A spokesman for St Georges's parish council described this tiff as "a storm in a teacup". The spokesman, who preferred not to be named, said Mgr Joseph Farrugia, archpriest of St George, had written to Mgr Cauchi on March 5 asking permission to hold a procession on the morning of Good Friday to mark the year of the Eucharist.

On March 6, the bishop wrote back saying he found no objection to the holding of the procession so long as the civil authorities granted permission, the spokesman added.

The police had refused to issue a permit for the procession to go ahead and they also turned down an application by the Leone Philharmonic Society to hold a march that same morning.

An appeal was filed and hearings, which started last Thursday before the Trade Licences Appeals Board, are expected to continue on Monday.

"The odd thing is that few people realise that in order to hold any form of public manifestation, including a procession, one needs to obtain a trade licence from the police," the spokesman explained.

St George's parish said the procession it planned to hold on the morning of Good Friday would be according to the terms and conditions approved by the bishop.

These conditions are that the procession will be held between 9 a.m. and noon; the arrangement will apply only for this year and the event is held in line with permits issued by the civil authorities.

"We trust that everyone, including the authorities mentioned, will respect the opinion of the ecclesiastical authority that feels the procession should be granted preference over other activities," Antoine Vassallo, vice president of the parish pastoral council, said.

When contacted, Mario Gatt, secretary of the Leone Philharmonic Society, said that on Sunday the society will be holding a rally at the Aurora Theatre on what measures would be taken in view of developments so far.

He said the parishioners were supporting Mgr Vella Gauci.

He noted that the bishop had sent a note to the police saying he was in no way obliging them to issue a permit for the procession and was leaving the matter in their hands.

Leone Society is sticking to its argument that no procession should be held in the morning, going by the letter of an agreement between the two sides and based on what the Holy See had stated - that there should not be two processions on that sacred day.

According to the agreement, the two parishes were to alternate in organising the procession. This year is the turn of the cathedral parish to hold the procession.

"Our application to hold a march on Good Friday was filed before the application for the procession and we will defend that right.

"A number of Maltese have already told me they would be crossing over to Gozo to witness this farce. Is this the way to mark this great day in the religious calendar?" Mr Gatt said.