Xaghra Parish » Gallery » 2015 » LENT, HOLY WEEK, EASTER 2015 » 05 APR 2015 - MANIFESTATION WITH RISEN CHRIST
Easter Festivities in Xaghra ended in grand style with a great Manifestation with the statue of the Risen Christ followed by a grand pageant in the afternoon. The First ever Gozo Easter Festival was held starting at 16h00. This consisted of a kids' play area with Bouncing Castles, slides and Gladiator area. Food stalls were selling traditional Easter delicacies (qassatat, figolli, qaghaq tal-Ghasel and biskuttini tar-rahal.Easter Festivities in Xaghra ended in grand style with a great Manifestation with the statue of the Risen Christ followed by a great pageant in the afternoon. The first Gozo Easter Festival was held starting at 16h00. This consisted of a kids’ play area with bouncing castles, slides and Gladiator arena. Food stalls were selling traditional Easter delicacies, qassatat, figolli, qaghaq tal-ghaseland biskuttini tar-rahal. All earnings from the stalls were to be donated to a family in dire need and the Mission of Gharissa in Kenya with whom Xaghra Parish is twinned. Caslypso train tours took adults and children around Xaghra. “Ta’ Verna Folk Group” entertained those present with folkloristic music. The “Ghaqda Folklor Xaghra” (Xaghra Folklore Group) under the direction of Ms Josephine Azzopardi undertook folkloristic dances. On the main stage”Children on the Move”sang and danced in between. The Victory Band, under the directorship of Mro Joseph Galea LCM, arrived in the Square playing marches for the occasion when the statue of Christ Rising from the Tomb appeared in the Basilica main doorway. Pigeons were let loose and flew away passing overhead the statue and the crowd in the Square. The manifestation continued with the statue going round the Church accompanied by the Band and children waving small flags with the red cross over a white background. It was forbidden this year to carry palm fronds because of the palm disease. When the statue was on the parvis on the way into the Basilica, the song “Heal the World”, a song for peace, was sung by the children with the statue of the Risen Christ in the background. Archpriest Mgr Carmelo Refalo, then called all children present in the Square to go near him with their Figolli and Easter Eggs to have them blessed. He then presented a Figolla to each and every child present. It was 18h50 mins when the the statue entered the Basilica and the Manifestation ended. It was then the turn of the Pageant, an Original Musical “Where Do You Come From? Where Are You Going?”, lyrics by Mr Carmel Bajada, music by Mro Ivan Attard and musical arrangements by Mr John Agius, to take place on Victory Square starting at 19h00. The audience followed episodes from the time of the Creation, through the life of Jesus Christ to the Resurrection. At 20h30 Cash and Band started their engagement to the delight of those staying until late at night and restaurant patrons in Victory Square. All photos are courtesy of Mr Manny Buhagiar
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