Our Lady of Graces, patron of Maltese cyclists

Zabbar will tomorrow celebrate the titular feast of Our Lady of Graces who was declared patron of Maltese and Gozitan cyclists and motorcyclists by Pope John Paul II. 

This evening, Carm Bonavia will offer to Zabbar parish priest Sebastian Caruana a copy of the papal decree on a decorated parchment in a richly ornate frame in memory of his brother, Fr Emanuel Bonavia, who died four years ago. As a young seminarian in the 1950s. Fr Bonavia had participated regularly in the cyclists' annual national pilgrimage.

This year marks the 56th edition of this pilgrimage. Motorcyclists will tomorrow start their trek from Rabat while cyclists will leave Mosta, both at 9.45 a.m. They will meet at Fgura and at 12.30 p.m. will reach the Zabbar Sanctuary. 

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the solemn crowning of Our Lady of Graces, the Golden Jubilee Committee had asked the then parish priest Anton Cassar to present a petition to Archbishop Joseph Mercieca asking the Pope to declare Our Lady of Graces heavenly patron of Maltese and Gozitan cyclists and motorcyclists as Pope Pius XII had done for Italian cyclists in 1947.

On November 17, 2003, Pope John Paul II accepted the petition and the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship granted the necessary decree.

Earlier this year, Mr Bonavia and his brother Fr Silvester OFM Cap obtained a copy of the decree on a decorated parchment signed by Cardinal Francis Arinze and Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino, Prefect and Secretary of the Vatican  Congregation, to be placed at the Zabbar Sanctuary Museum near the Coronation Decree of 1949.

The presentation will take place this evening during a special Mass for cyclists in preparation for tomorrow's pilgrimage. A small inscription on the frame commemorates this occasion.