The feast of the Nativity of Our Lady was held at Xaghra today, but events were toned down, with band marches in the morning and this evening cancelled and prayers being held for the victims of last Sunday's fireworks blast which killed six.

Earlier in the day, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech praised the parish for its gesture in setting up a fund to help the families of the victims and those who had suffered damages. €13,000 have been raised so far. He also announced the setting up of a commission to advise him on directives he will issue on fireworks during feasts.

The Perkursur Band, which was due to hold a band march after the procession this evening, cancelled its plans in agreement with the Xaghra feast organisers, in solidarity with one of the victims, who lived in Xewkija.

Meanwhile, the families of five of the six victims of the fireworks factory explosion announced arrangements for a joint funeral on Saturday. They also requested mourners to make donations to a fund for the victims at Fontana parish, instead of flowers.

The Farrugia and Micallef families said the funeral of Nenu Farrugia, his sons Noel and Raymond, daughter-in-law Antoinette and son-in-law Paul Micallef will start with a cortege at 3.30 p.m. from the Church of Our Lady of Pompeii in Santa Dominka Street, Victoria.

The funeral Mass praesente cadavere will be held at the Sacred Heart Sanctuary in Fontana at 4 p.m.

The rest of the funeral will be private.

The funeral of the other victim, Jean-Pierre Azzopardi, will be held on Friday at 5 p.m. at Xewkija.