Year in year out, the annual programme of the festivities in honour of St George at Victoria carries the usual titles of "protoparrokkjali" (protoparish), "Arċimatriċi" (archmatrix) u "omm il-parroċċi tal-gżira" (mother of the parishes of the island of Gozo), which have been amply proved to be false.

It is known to all that in a diocese only the cathedral church has a right for the title of "mother of all churches". In Malta, not even St John's co-cathedral has any right for this title as this is vested only on the cathedral church of Mdina.

Some years ago, Bishop Nikol Cauchi of Gozo had issued a press release whereby he declared that in Gozo there is only one cathedral and, therefore, all other pretensions are spurious and worthless.

Regarding the first title, all mediaeval documents show that, with regard to precedence, St George's church is always placed fourth. So it is not and has never been the first parish church of Gozo.

As for the second title, no degree or bull ever mentions that a new parish has been dismembered from the limits of St George's parish. Moreover, no parish in Gozo recognises St George's parish as its matrix or mother Church.

St George's partisans know this very well but they still continue to contradict the known truth. What a shame!