Saint George’s parish is marking the 201st issue of Il-Belt Victoria, a newsletter that has survived four decades and kept going strong the link between a parish and its parishioners.

It was early in 1981 that during a seminar presided by the late Bishop Nikol Cauchi, Dean of St George’s Collegiate and the late Mgr Emmanuel Mercieca, who was then archpriest, it was decided that St George’s parish should have its own bimonthly publication.

The first edition of Il-Belt Victoria was issued in July-August 1981.

The basilica’s review covers different articles varying from the historical and cultural to the liturgical and pastoral, including important events such as the centenary celebrations of 1984 and 2003, as well the papal visits by Saint John Paul II, in May 1990, and the one by Benedict XVI, in 2010.

Il-Belt Victoria connects the many parishioners and benefactors of St George’s Basilica worldwide.

In the latest issue one finds a message on what Christ wants to tell us by archpriest Joseph Curmi, various articles about the current pandemic, the parish’s pastoral activities and charity project Fejn hu Ħuk?, the third Dean of St George’s Collegiate Bishop Anton Teuma and another piece about Cardinal Mario Grech and Saint George’s basilica (2005-2020).

Other items include excerpts from Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti, Saint George’s monastery at Al Khader, the church and the monastery in Bethlehem, new projects at the basilica and the parish’s calendar of events.