Last Sunday marked the end of festivities in honour of St George to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Gozo’s first titular statue of the saint, which was sculpted in 1839 by Pietru Pawl Azzopardi. The series of celebrations, entitled Is-Siegħa tal-Martri, had kicked off on April 23, St George’s Day.

The events were concluded with a Pontifical High Mass at St George’s Basilica last Sunday, which was followed by a pontifical procession with the votive statue of St George around Victoria’s old quarters, led by the Apostolic Nuncio for Malta Mgr Aldo Cavalli.

The La Stella Philharmonic Band hailed the ‘Prince of Martyrs’ with the hymn Al glorioso martire, composed by Luigi Billion and Giuseppe Giardini Vella, with the participation of soloists Fr Joseph Mercieca and Noel Galea.

At the end of the celebration, Archpriest Mgr Pawlu Cardona told the congregation: “Our eyes now turn on the month of July, when our parish community will be welcoming the precious relic of St George’s arm from Venice”.

Spiritual preparation will start this week.

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