Santa Marija — Victoria, Gozo ★

The Feast of the Assumption reaches its climax with a full day of religious and cultural celebrations in Victoria. The Cathedral opens the day with Masses at 5:00am, 6:00am, 7:00am, 8:00am, 9:00am (Pontifical Mass), 11:00am, 12:00pm, 5:00pm  and 8:30pm, while confessions are available throughout the morning. At 9:00am, the solemn Pontifical Concelebration is presided over by the Bishop of Gozo, bringing together the Cathedral Chapter, clergy, religious communities and seminarians. At 11:00am, a Mass for families and children is celebrated, while a traditional band march through the streets of Victoria begins at the same time. The afternoon festivities commence at 11:30am with the distribution of prizes in Villa Rundle, followed by a popular march and synchronized fireworks display in Independence Square at 2:15pm. Sacred music fills the Cathedral at 5:45pm with a Solemn Te Deum, and at 6:00pm the Victory Band marches from its club premises to Cathedral Square. The highlight of the religious celebrations begins at 6:45pm with the Solemn Procession of the artistic statue of Santa Marija through the streets of Victoria, accompanied by hymns and the Cittadina Leone Band. Evening festivities continue with musical programmes by the San Ġużepp Band at 8:00pm and the Victory Band at 8:00pm in different locations. Following a special chapel service at 8:30pm, spectacular fireworks light up the Gozo skyline at 10:00pm. The celebrations culminate at 10:30pm when the statue of Our Lady is triumphantly welcomed back into the Cathedral amidst the ringing of bells, torchlight processions, and the participation of Cardinal Mario Grech, bringing to a close one of Gozo’s most cherished religious feasts.