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¤ The feast of St Laurence is being celebrated at San Lawrenz parish today.

Only church festivities will be held after a disagreement between parish priest Canon Michael Borg and the external festivities committee.

Bishop Nikol Cauchi leads a Pontifical concelebrated Mass at 9 a.m. Fr Joe Vassallo, OP will deliver the panegyric in honor of St Laurence the Martyr. The music will be under the direction of Mro Johnny Galea. The event will be transmitted live on Prekursur radio station (99.3 FM stereo).

Mass will be celebrated by Fr Mario Grech at 6 p.m.

The procession with the statue of the saint, accompanied by the Victory Band, led by Fr Grech, leaves the church at 7.30.

A Eucharistic celebration and adoration of the saint's relics will take place at 9.

¤ Celebrations marking the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady in Victoria continue today.

Fr Marcello Ghirlando, with the participation of Mario Caruana from the Spektrum group, will be celebrating Mass for couples who got married in the past year, as well as those celebrating 10th, 20th, 25th , 30th, 40th and 50th wedding anniversaries, at the Cathedral, today at 6.15 p.m. Former parishioners that currently live in other parishes in both Malta and Gozo, as well as emigrants currently in Gozo are also invited to attend.

The traditional dinner on Cathedral Square by the Leone Band starts, at 8.

From tomorrow to Wednesday functions in the Cathedral start at 6.30 p.m. The Leone band will be playing a new set of marches, accompanied by the Santa Margerita band, tomorrow at 8 and on Tuesday at 9, including a fireworks display on Savina Square.

A solemn procession with the statue of Our Lady, accompanied by the Leone and St Gregory bands will be held on Wednesday at 9 p.m. This will be followed by a fireworks display, co-ordinated by Vampa Organisations, in Republic Street. The feast statue will then be put on the pedestal on It-Tokk Square.

The Cathedral Chapter will concelebrate Mass, with the participation of the Chorus Ecclesiae Cathedralis on Thursday, the feast's eve, at 8 a.m. Mass will end with the singing of the Te Deum.

Archpriest Mgr Joe Vella Gauci will say Mass for the parish children, with the participation of the Cathedral Youth Choir, at 10. This will be followed by a children's march, accompanied by the Naxxar Scout Group, from Cathedral Square to the Aurora complex.

President Guido de Marco will unveil a plaque in the band club's foyer at 11.30 a.m. This will be followed by a reception for the children.

The Leone Band will play marches from the parish centre to the Cathedral at 5.30 p.m.

There will be a pontifical translation of the relic of Our Lady, by Bishop Nikol Cauchi, with the participation of the Cathedral Chapter at 6. This will be followed by pontifical vespers and sacramental blessing.

Concelebrated Mass, with the participation of the Chorus Ecclesiae Cathedralis, is at 7.30. Marches will be played by the La Valette, Mnarja and Leone bands at 8, followed by a fireworks display on Savina Square.

Pontifical concelebrated Mass, led by Bishop Cauchi, with the participation of the Cathedral Chapter starts on Friday at 8.45 a.m., followed by an Apostolic blessing with the granting of plenary indulgence. The Missa in Solemnitate Sanctae Mariae Assumptae will be sung for the first time.

The 12th May and Precursor bands will play marches in the centre of Victoria at 11. The traditional horse and donkey races start at 2.30 p.m.

Solemn vespers, followed by a Eucharistic celebration and sacramental blessing, led by the Vicar General Mgr Giovanni B. Gauci, is at 5.45.

The procession with the statue of Our Lady, led by Mgr Gauci, accompanied by the Cathedral Chapter and clergy, leaves the Cathedral at 6.30. The Leone, Victory and St Joseph bands will also be participating.

There will be a fireworks display, co-ordinated by Vampa Organisations, on Ta' Gelmus hill at 10.30.

¤ Flag Week is being organised by the Gozo Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (SPCA) from tomorrow to Sunday. Funds raised will be used to help support the Strays Centre in Victoria, and the neutering and spaying of dogs and cats scheme. Further information can be obtained by contacting the Strays Centre on 2155-3769 or 9980-7067.

¤ The traditional agricultural and crafts show, organised by the Agricultural, Industrial and Cultural Society is being held this week at Villa Rundle Gardens in Victoria.

Some 4,000 exhibits, including livestock and poultry will be on display. Registration of exhibits starts on Wednesday at 7 a.m.

Bishop Cauchi will bless the exhibition and open the offices of the organising committee, in the presence of Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono on Thursday at 10.30 a.m. The show opens to the public at 12.30 p.m.

Minister Debono will preside over the prize-giving ceremony of sections 11 to 13 at 7.30. A folk singing event, with the participation of il-Budaj, other Gozitan singers and the theatrical group Zewg Ucuh at 8 will be held.

Animals will be allowed into the Villa Rundle Gardens on Friday at 4 a.m. A Eucharistic celebration will be held at 6. The exhibition opens from 6.30 to 2.30 p.m.

President Guido de Marco will preside over the prizegiving ceremony of sections one to 10 at 11.

¤ The diocese of Gozo is organising a night prayer vigil at Ta' Pinu Sanctuary on Thursday at 9 p.m.

A short aux flambeaux procession, accompanied by the Ta' Pinu painting, will be held from the church to the sanctuary parvis, where there will be a concelebrated Mass.