The 61st edition of the annual bicycle and motorcycle pilgrimage to Żabbar in honour of Our Lady of Graces will be held next Sunday.
Cyclists are to gather in Council of Europe Road, Żabbar, at 7.30 a.m. to load their bicycles on trucks engaged for the purpose, while the participants themselves will board coaches that will take them to Tal-Virtù, Rabat from where the pilgrimage starts.
From here the bicycle route passes through Saqqajja, Attard, Lija, Balzan, Birkirkara, Valley Road, Sta Venera, Fleur-de-Lys, Ħamrun, Qormi, Marsa, Paola, Tarxien, Fgura, and ends at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Graces in Żabbar.
The motorcycle pilgrimage departs from Mosta at 9.45 a.m. and passes through Constitution Street, Birkirkara, Regional Road, St Julian’s, Spinola, Sliema seafront, Gżira, Msida, Floriana, Valletta, Marsa, Paola, Senglea, Cospicua, Fgura and Żabbar.
The pilgrimage reaches the sanctuary at about 12.30 p.m. where the cyclists and motorcyclists will read out a prayer and be blessed by parish priest Fr Bastjan Caruana.
For security reasons all participants should follow the instructions of the organising committee members and marshalls all along the route as the pilgrimage will be using arterial roads. Participants should also be decently dressed and wear a helmet.
Cars, trucks and children on small motorised bikes are not allowed to take part.