• Today, Sannat celebrates the feast of St Margarita. Gozo Bishop Mario Grech will lead a pontifical concelebrated Mass at 9am. Xagħra archpriest Carmelo Refalo will deliver the panegyric. The Missa in Honorem S. Margaritae by Charles Camilleri will be performed under the direction of Mro Joseph Debrincat. Traditional horse and donkey races will be held at Sannat Road at 2pm. Don Fabio Randello, archpriest of S. Margaret Basilica in Licodia Eubea, Sicily, will lead solemn vespers at 6.30pm, followed by the procession with the statue of the saint, accompanied by the Santa Margarita Band. Band marches by the La Stella Band will be held at 7pm. The Ite ad Joseph Band will give a concert at St Margarita Square at 9.30pm. At the end of the procession there will be a Eucharistic celebration at 10pm. Festivities end with marches by the Ite ad Joseph Band at 10.30pm.
• A blood donation session will be held at the Gozo General Hospital Outpatients Department today from 8am to 1.30pm.
• There will be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the Qala parish square on Tuesday at 7.45pm. It will be led by Fr Marcello Ghirlando and animated by Mario Caruana. All are welcome.
• Festivities in honour of St James will come to an end at the church dedicated to him at Pjazza Indipendenza, Victoria, on Tuesday. Fr Geoffrey Attard will lead a concelebrated Mass, assisted by the rector,Fr George Borg, at 10.30am. Fr Attard will also deliver the panegyric.
• Fun games for children and students will be held at Qala parish square on Thursday at 8.30pm.
• MUSEUM superior Joe Fenech will hold a prayer and catechesis meeting at Our Lady of Pompeii church, Victoria, on Thursday from 10 to 11am. All are invited. Mr Fenech presents a weekly Saturday programme on Radju Marija from 1 to 3pm.
• DCapitals Band will present the second edition of DCapitals Live@Cittadella as part of the Citadel Arts Festival on Saturday. The open-air concert, under the direction of Mro George Apap, will feature Italian singer Aida Satta Flores, three times finalist in the Sanremo Festival and winner of last year’s Sanremo Senior Festival. Also taking part are Ozzy Lino, together with the band’s resident singers Francesca Sciberras, Jolene Samhan, Fabian Galea and Kelly Grima and Yada dancers. Entrance is free. For seat reservations call 7971 0366 or 7955 4694.
• The diocesan Eucharistic Movement will hold a prayer evening at St Francis church, Victoria, on Saturday at 8.30pm, followed by Mass at midnight.
• The Gozo Youth Orchestra will present the 10th edition of ‘Opera vs Pop Under the Stars’ at Villa Rundle Gardens, Victoria, on July 31, at 8.30pm. The concert will feature soprano Pamela Agius, bass Noel Galea and pop singer Ludwig Galea. They will be joined by guest singers Francesco Joseph Nicodeme, Francesca Sciberras, Jolene Samhan and Stanley Joe Portelli. The first part of the programme will consist of classical and operatic songs and arias, followed by an array of lighter pop arrangements from soundtracks and musicals in the second part. Patrons are invited to an after-concert treat. Tickets strictly by reservation and available by e-mailing gozowindbandorchestra@yahoo.co.uk or by calling 7942 1611/9942 1611.
• The Victoria Scout Group will be holding a barbecue and camp fire at the Dwejra campsite on August 2 at 7.30pm. Tickets may be obtained by calling 2155 6497 or 7955 5844 (group scout leader) by July 31.
Photos: Charles Spiteri
• Raymond Cortis is currently holding an exhibition of artistic wood carving at the Banca Giuratale in Victoria. All artworks are carved out of tree trunks. His art is mostly based on biblical stories from the Old Testament. The exhibition closes on July 31.
• Anna Grima is holding an exhibition of Gozitan landscapes, entitled ‘Moments of Gold’, at art..e Gallery, 1 Library Street, Victoria.
charles.spiteri@timesofmalta.com