Praise to St George Preca

Hundreds of Gozitans filled the churches in Gozo last Tuesday to give praise to St George Preca.

The relic arrived in Mgarr on Frank Magro's (Xewkija) boat Barbarossa at 3.30 p.m., accompanied by Bishop Mario Grech and his secretaries Fr Eddie Zammit and Fr Charles Sultana, and Mgr Charles Scicluna, postulator of Dun Gorg Preca's cause. Waiting at Mgarr was vicar general of the Gozo diocese, archdeacon Mgr Giovanni Bosco Gauci, Bishop Grech's delegate Fr Alex Refalo, Mgr Carmelo Refalo, and deacons Joshua Muscat and Michael Curmi. Also present were MUSEUM representatives Antonia Sciberras and Doris Attard, superior general assistant Pauline Grech, as well as representatives from the organising committee of the canonisation of St George and of the MUSEUM co-operative committee, Toni Caruana, Laurie Saliba, Sunny Gatt and Michael Attard.

On disembarkation, Bishop Grech said a prayer and Mgr Scicluna gave a short speech.

At Ghajnsielem, the Bishop handed the relic to Ghajnsielem archpriest Frankie Bajada, who then entered the parish church among applause from the faithful. Speeches and prayers were said, and after the relic was transferred to the Qala, Nadur, and St George, Victoria, parishes, and finally to the Cathedral where Bishop Grech led a concelebrated Mass.

The relic was then taken to the parishes of Fontana, San Lawrenz, and Gharb, and later on to Ta' Pinu Sanctuary where prayers were said.

On Wednesday, the relic was taken to the parishes at Xaghra, Zebbug, Ghasri, Kercem, Munxar and Sannat. Mass for primary schoolchildren was said at the Rotunda church in Xewkija in the morning, followed by a visit to the General Hospital. In the afternoon, the relic was taken to the Xewkija parish church before it was returned to Malta.