The relic of St George’s arm housed at the Benedictine abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, Italy, will be brought to the parishes of St George in Qormi and Victoria between tomorrow and next Sunday on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of Gozo’s first titular statue of the saint. The relic, which will be accompanied by four monks from the abbey, is being brought to Malta following a request made by Gozo Bishop Mario Grech to Norberto Villa, abbot of Praglia and San Giorgio Maggiore.
A scientific examination of the relic in 1978 by the Anthropological Institute of Bologna University confirmed it as one of the few authentic and prestigious relics of the martyred fourth-century saint, who was beheaded and buried in Lidda, Israel. In 1984 and 2003, St George’s scalp, the saint’s most revered relic which is kept at Velabro basilica, Rome, had been brought to Malta.
The relic, consisting of the saint’s left arm and fingers, was venerated in the monastery of San Giorgio di Fiore in Calabria, Italy, as early as 1255. After it was saved from the hands of pirates who had attacked the place, it was taken in 1296 to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, where it is kept at the Benedictine abbey dedicated to the saint.
Upon its arrival in Malta tomorrow the relic will first be taken to Qormi and on Tuesday to Gozo where its first stop will be at Xewkija rotunda. At 7pm, Mgr Grech, together with the clergy of St George’s parish, will welcome the relic at the crossroads in Republic Street, Victoria, from where it will be taken to St George’s basilica, accompanied by La Stella Band playing religious hymns.
In St George’s Square, Archbishop Paul Cremona will deliver an address, and at 8pm a solemn ecumenical vigil will be held at the basilica presided by Mgr Grech, Gennadios Zervos, metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox archdiocese of Italy and Malta, and Can. Simon Godfrey, chancellor of the Anglican communion of Malta and Gozo. The relic will remain exposed for public adoration for the rest of the evening until midnight.
Over the rest of the week the relic will be taken to Gozo General Hospital, religious convents and homes for the sick and elderly. During the morning Masses of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, it will be exposed for adoration in the churches of St Francis, the Good Shepherd and St Augustine, Victoria, respectively.
On Friday morning, priests of the parish will be available to accompany the relic to private homes of the sick and elderly. Anyone wishing to arrange such a visit may call 2155 6377. During other times the relic will be placed in front of the statue of St George.
Next Sunday, the feast of St George, the relic will be carried in the pontifical procession at 7pm, which will be presided by Archbishop Emeritus of Monreale Salvatore di Cristina and accompanied by religious hymns played by La Stella Band.