Mourning, commitments keep leaders away from some Victory Day events

The traditional Victory Day activities marking religious and historical events were held yesterday, barring the customary inspection of the Guard of Honour due to President George Abela’s absence.

Dr Abela, whose father passed away on Tuesday, could not attend Pontifical Mass at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta and was replaced by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi at the wreath-laying ceremony at the Great Siege Monument afterwards.

Coincidentally, each event of this year’s important national feast was carried out by the deputies of the highest officials for the first time ever, the National Festivities Committee pointed out.

At Tuesday’s wreath-laying ceremony, Dr Gonzi was replaced by his deputy, Tonio Borg, the Prime Minister having buried his father that day. Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat could not attend because of his leg injury and was replaced by Anġlu Farrugia and Speaker Michael Frendo, who is abroad, was represented by his deputy, Ċensu Galea.

But no absence stopped the celebrations that marked the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, the end of the Great Siege in 1565 and the day the Italians surrendered to the British in World War II.

September 8 celebrations kicked off with a march by the Armed Forces of Malta band and a Guard of Honour from Floriana down Republic Street, in Valletta, positioning themselves outside the co-cathedral before solemn Mass.

In his homily, Archbishop Paul Cremona highlighted the dual nature of the national feast, saying the religious aspect could not be separated from the historical and civil reality of the event because the history of the Maltese was interwoven with the Catholic religion and they had lived these episodes with a sense of faith.

He told the congregation of dignitaries, as well as several tourists, that believers could not separate the two interpretations of the feast.

Speaking about the role of the Church in today’s society, characterised by wasted youth without motivation and children denied the security of a stable family, Mgr Cremona said that, while it proposed Christian ideals, providing practical solutions was not in the Church’s remit.

Celebrations continued in the afternoon, with the colourful regatta at Grand Harbour, organised by the Malta Sports Council. Seven harbour towns competed for the coveted shield as the traditional rowing boats crossed from Marsa to Customs House in a tradition that dates back to 1642, turning into an annual event in 1878. Story on pages 26-27

The feast of Our Lady was celebrated in Senglea, Naxxar, Mellieħa and Xagħra.