An ill-timed power cut failed to dampen the spirits of the faithful in Gozo last night, despite the lights going out at a crucial moment of the Sannat feast. 

On Thursday evening, festa enthusiasts at the Sannat parish church were getting ready to bring the statue of St Margaret, the patron saint of the locality’s feast, out of her niche, when the lights very suddenly went off. 

Several localities in Gozo were hit by another widespread power cut on Thursday, the second time this week. 

However, despite the inopportune moment, the faithful in Sannat did not let the outage kill their enthusiasm, with the crowd of youths gathered to celebrate their saint illuminating the walls adorned with gold and red damask with the humble lights from their mobile phones. 

The touching moment was captured by photographer Bradley Farrugia, who captured the crowd, joined by their parish priest Fr Michael Curmi, chanting a song dedicated to St Margaret together in unison, accompanied by members of the band club, who can be heard playing their instruments from somewhere inside the church. 

“Our beautiful jewel shines brightly even in the darkness,” one voice can be heard saying in the short clip of Thursday night’s celebrations. 

Gozitans experienced a widespread power cut on Tuesday after one of the supply cables that provides electricity to the sister island caught fire and interrupted power for several hours. 

A second power cut on Thursday evening also impacted large parts of Gozo and Mellieħa, although a spokesperson for Enemalta said that this was rectified within 27 minutes.