MaltaPost has issued a commemorative handstamp to mark the 50th anniversary of the coronation of the titular statue of  Marija Bambina (Our Lady of Victories) of Xagħra. The Xagħra effigy was the first Marian statue to be crowned in Gozo.

Then parish priest John Camilleri acquired the statue from the French firm Gallard of Marseilles. It was blessed by Bishop Peter Pace in 1878. After a while, parishioners expressed the wish to have the statue crowned.

Bishop Nikol Cauchi gave his consent and a design competition for the crown was launched. The members of the jury were national museum curator Fr Marius Zerafa, OP, nuseums director Francis Mallia and sacred art artist Paul Camilleri Cauchi. The competition was won by Gozitan Joseph Sagona. The crown was then manufactured by Tarcisius Cassar and Carmel Azzopardi.

The crowning ceremony took place in front of the Xagħra basilica on  September 2, 1973. The crown was carried by Xagħra-born personality Chief Justice J.J. Cremona. The statue was crowned by Bishop Cauchi, assisted by two other bishops: Vitus Roberti and Emanuel Galea.

For the commemorative handstamp, Gozo Philatelic Society member Anthony Grech designed a special card featuring the statue photographed by Mark Micallef Perconte.

Meanwhile, parish philately enthusiasts designed ‘personalised’ stamps in an attractive sheet. Moreover, they also printed a folder which is set to remain a treasured memento.

The set of stamps, cards and folders commemorating the 50th anniversary of the crowning of the Bambina.