Gharb concludes arts festival

A three-day festival of art, culture, history and music in Gharb was concluded yesterday with a procession with the miraculous effigy of the Madonna Del Cuore, a 300-year-old painting by Sebastiano Conca that had never before left Gerano, in Italy.

Gerano is twinned with Gharb.

A spokesman for the Gharb local council explained that the painting is usually kept in a special vault and is open to the public three times a year.

The procession yesterday walked on a flower path known as the Infiorata. The flower carpet was designed by Ruben Camilleri Cauchi and took over 150 man hours to complete. As a first, most of the flowers used were local wild flowers. All the places of cultural and historical interest at Gharb were opened to the public till late hours for the duration of the festival which opened on Friday.

Walking guided tours were organised to the places of cultural and historical interest together with re-enactments of historical events, street theatre, band marches and art and crafts exhibitions.

On the last day yesterday, pontifical Mass was celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Nicholas Cauchi together with the Gharb parish Chapter. The procession with the miraculous effigy was held after Mass and was led by Fr Giovanni Celsi, archpriest of Gerano.