Local photographers had a feast yesterday as celebrations of the Assumption of Our Lady brought out the crowds in eight localities yesterday, seven in Malta and one in Gozo.

Celebrations were held in Attard, Birkirkara, Għaxaq, Gudja, Mosta, Mqabba, Qrendi and Victoria, Gozo, in one of the most important days on the local religious calendar. This Sunday, the feast will also be celebrated in Mġarr and Dingli.

The feast celebrates the ascent to heaven of the Virgin Mary, but the popular festa also marks the peak of the summer season of religious village celebrations.

Dazzling fireworks displays, processions, band marches and other festive delights featured across the archipelago.

A Pontifical Mass was held at the Mosta Rotunda parish church and was celebrated by the new Apostolic Nuncio, Alessandro D’Errico, upon the invitation of Archbishop Charles Scicluna.

Motorcyclists held a charity pilgrimage organised by the Dingli and Mġarr parishes for the second consecutive year. The pilgrimage set off from Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Siġġiewi, towards Dingli and ended in Mġarr.

Apart from being the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, yesterday also marked an important day in Malta’s history.

August 15 was the 75th anniversary of Operation Pedestal, the convoy of Allied ships that arrived in Malta’s Grand Harbour on August 15, 1942, with sorely needed food and supplies. At the time, the bomb-battered island was on the brink of starvation and close to surrender to the Axis powers.

Apostolic Nuncio Alessandro D’Errico celebrated Mass at the Mosta Rotunda.