Coming up

• ‘Glory be to God’, an international celebration of Christmas, will be held at St Joseph parish church, Qala, today between 6.30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Ruth Sammut Casingena, the Magnificat Choir, sopranos Roxana Xuereb and Patricia Buttigieg, tenor Joseph Buttigieg, the University of Malta Junior College Orchestra and the Fourtissimo Brass will take part. Gozitan artist Anthony Caruana will be in attendance. The Horace Mercieca Award will also be presented.

• A blood donation session will be held at the Gozo General Hospital today between 8.30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• Kung Fu Panda will be screened at the Don Bosco Oratory, Victoria, today at 5.30 p.m. and Rango will be screened on Christmas Day.

• Masses at Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary will be held today at 6.15 a.m., 8.30, 10, 11.15 and 5 p.m. At 6 p.m. there will be the recital of the rosary, followed by Eucharistic benediction.

• A Christmas concert entitled ’Magical Wish’ will be held at the MBC Theatre in Nadur on Friday at 8.30 p.m. The event will feature a live youth band, singers and dancers who will perform over 15 popular Christmas songs. The event is being organised by Patrick Muscat and Marika Borg, in collaboration with the Għaqda Teatrali Mnarja. Entrance is free.

• The Guiding Light Group will be holding an animated crib in Mannar Street, next to the Jesus of Nazareth church, Xagħra, on Saturday from 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Christmas Day from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., December 26, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., December 29 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., December 30 from 6 p.m. unti 9 p.m. and on January 1 from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. For more information, visit www.kgnxaghra.org/theguidinglight or call 2156 0813 or 9988 5583. Entrance is free.

• A Christmas musical entitled Vergni u Omm, will be staged at the Don Bosco Oratory in Victoria on Christmas Eve at 11.30 p.m. before Midnight Mass. Around 30 children and younsters will take part.

• The diocesan Eucharistic Movement will be holding a prayer evening at Savina church in Victoria on Saturday at 8 p.m. Another prayer meeting will be held at Nadur parish church on December 31 at 8.30 p.m., followed by Mass at midnight.

• The Visitation Band of Għarb will be a Christmas concert entitled ‘Pop into Christmas’ on December 27 and 30. The first performance will be held at Our Lady of the Visitation Collegiate Basilica in Għarb, starting at 7.30 p.m., while the second performance will take place at Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz at 8 p.m. The concerts are being organised in collaboration with Għarb council. Entrance for both performances is free.

• A penitential service, followed by Mass in English, will be held at the Sacred Heart Seminary, Victoria, on Wednesday at 9.30 a.m. On Christmas Eve, Mass will start at 10.30 p.m., while on Christmas Day, Mass will be held at 10 a.m. The car park opposite the seminary will be available for parking on Christmas Eve and all Sundays.

• A concert entitled ‘Gaude et Laetare… Rejoice and be Glad’ will be held at the Basilica of Maria Bambina in Xagħra on December 28 at 7 p.m. The concert, by Schola Cantorum Jubilate, is being organised by Xagħra council, in collaboration with the Archpriest and Chapter of the Xaghra Basilica. The choir will be accompanied by the Cordia String Quartet and members from the Jubilate Chamber Ensemble. A collection will be held in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund.

• A concert by Chorus Urbanus entitled ‘Sounds of Christmas’ will be held at Independence Square, Victoria, on Wednesday. Taking part will be the Fourtissimo Brass Ensemble and the band Novel. The concert is being organised by Victoria council. Collections will be held in aid of Dar tal-Providenza, the Arka Foundation and the Malta Community Chest Fund.

cspiteri@timesofmalta.com