The Gozo cathedral, like other parishes in Malta, will celebrate the feast of Santa Marija on Tuesday. This year, the feast in Gozo is being celebrated with more pomp as it will also be commemorating the 400th anniversary of the second foundation of the Cathedral Chapter.
The Holy Triduum, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, will include sung vespers at 6.30pm and the recital of the chaplet (kurunella) in honour of the Assumption of Our Lady by Ludovico Mifsud-Tommasi, a tradition that goes back to 1828, followed by a sung mass. The Cappella Sanctae Mariae, under the direction of Carmel P. Grech and orchestra, led by maestro di cappella Joseph Debrincat, will take part.
On Monday, eve of the Assumption, there will be a special mass for children at the cathedral at 10am, followed by the traditional children’s demonstration to the Leone Band Club.
Bishop Anton Teuma will lead the translation of the relic from Savina church to the cathedral at 6pm, followed by pontifical vespers.
Representatives of the four other collegiate chapters in Gozo will take part. On the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the crowning of the Assumption altarpiece and the chapter’s 400th anniversary, Archbishop Charles Scicluna will lead a concelebrated mass with the metropolitan and cathedral chapters at 7.30pm.
On Tuesday, feast day, masses will be said at 5am, 6, 7 and 8am. Apostolic Nuncio to Malta Savio Hon Tai-Fai will preside over pontifical mass concelebrated with Bishop Teuma, who will deliver the homily, the cathedral chapter, priests and members of religious orders at 9am. The Missa Maria in Cœlum Assumpta by Mro Ray Sciberras will be sung. After mass, Bishop Teuma will confer Ġieħ il-Parroċċa on a number of parishioners.
Parish vicar, Fr Daniel Sultana, will celebrate mass for children and their families at 11am. Masses will also be said at noon, 5pm (in English) and 8pm. Second vespers will start at 6pm. The procession with the statue of Santa Marija – sculpted in Rome in 1897 – will start at 6.45pm. The Leone Band, under the direction of Colin Attard, will play the immortal hymn Per la festa di Maria Assunta (1913). An aerial firework display by Vampa will start at 7pm.
During the procession, the St Joseph Band of Għajsielem will play in Cathedral square, while the Victory Band of Xagħra will be at Independence square. The full programme is available online at www.gozocathedral.mt and on the Facebook page of the Gozo cathedral.
The Santa Marija agricultural and industrial show will be held at Villa Rundle Gardens from tomorrow to Tuesday.