Feast of Christ the King

On the occasion of the Feast of Christ the King, the G.M. Fra Antoine de Paule Philharmonic Society is organising the following activities:

The Christ the King Band welcomes the titular statue of Christ the King on the parish church parvis tomorrow at 8 p.m., followed by marches played by the band. At 10 p.m., the new statue of the Heart of Jesus by Aron Camilleri Cauchi will be inaugurated and mounted onto a pedestal in St Ubaldeska Square, with the participation of the de Paul Society and the Christ the King Band's children's choir.

The Christ the King Band will play marches during the procession with the statue of Christ the King in the streets of Paola at 8 p.m. At midnight, the statue will be placed on a pedestal in front of the church, after which a fireworks display by the Fireworks Commission of the de Paule Society will be held.

On Saturday at 7.45 p.m., the band will animate the wreath ceremony before the statue of Christ the King. At 9, the band will carry out a musical programme under the direction of Mro Archibald Mizzi A. (Mus)LCM in Antoine de Paule Square. The programme will include music by Dvorak, James Last, Dizzy Starford, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Richard Rogers, Sebastian Yradier, James H. Burden, the Christ the King hymn, written by Mro Francesco Busuttil with lyrics by poet Dun Frans Camilleri, and the de Paule hymn by Mro Joseph Stivala.

The programme will see the participation of young soprano Marvic Monreal, tenor Joseph Aquilina and baritone Joe Huber, together with the Christ the King "Allelujah" parish choir.

Following the programme, the Christ the King Band will be joined by the guest band in a Venetian march around the square, after which there will be a fireworks display.

On Sunday at 10 a.m., the Christ the King Band will play traditional marches in the main streets of Paola.

Double CDs with recordings of old marches by Hector Dalli featuring the Christ the King Band under the direction of Mro Mizzi are available from the band club in Antoine de Paule Square, Paola, or from the Boffa shop. The CDs also include marches that were composed in the 1940s and 1950s and have been recorded for the first time.