The JP2 Cultural Foundation will again hold the annual PENITENTIAL SERVICE for this year’s Lent. This spiritual event, which is part of the JP2 Memorial Festival, will take place on the 20th February 2026 being the first Friday of Lent.
The Spiritual Reflections for this year will concentrate on the Holy Cross. The event will take place at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Grace in Victoria. (to be found on the way to Marsalforn) known with the locals as “il-Knisja tal-Kapuċċini”.
This church which is under the custodian of the Fransican Capuchins Fathers holds the 1683 Canon Giovanni Pietro Francesco Agius de Soldanis Devotional Miraculous Crucifix found in the side chapel of the Church. The Xewkija Parish Choir “ULIED IL-BATTISTA” under the direction of Ms. Amy Borg will be participating and animating this manifestation. The event will start at 7.30pm. The public is invited to attend.
HISTORIC INFORMATION
O devout Christian, this image of the Crucified Redeemer which you venerate, known for its many miracles, which was made in Messina and hung on the wall of one of the houses, remained untouched when the fire destroyed the rest; and which from there, while being taken to Syracuse, on the promise of the sailors, saved the ship from the most imminent shipwreck, and later in Malta, shaken by a terrible earthquake in 1693, was exposed for public veneration in the church called Victory; Canon Fr. Franġisk Agius de Soldanis, a Gozitan, obtained it from the Commander Fra Gabriele Miceli, and gave it from his heart to these Capuchin Religious Friars in the year of redemption 1747 so that it could be placed in this Chapel dedicated to it, from where many graces were obtained from it.
Il-Fondazzjoni Kulturali Papa San Ġwanni Pawlu II se terġa’ torganizza għal sena oħra s-SERVIZZ PENITENZJALI għar-Randan ta’ din is-sena. Dan l-avveniment spiritwali, li huwa parti mill-“JP2 Memorial Festival”, se jsir fl-20 ta’ Frar 2026, li-taħbat l-ewwel Ġimgħa tar-Randan.
Ir-Riflessjonijiet Spiritwali għal din is-sena se jikkonċentraw fuq is-Salib Imqaddes. L-avveniment se jsir fis-Santwarju tal-Madonna tal-Grazzja fil-Belt Victoria (li jinsab fit-triq lejn Marsalforn) magħruf man-nies lokali bħala “il-Knisja tal-Kapuċċini”.
Din il-knisja li hija taħt il-kustodju tal-Patrijiet Franġiskani Kapuċċini fiha żżomm ġewwa fih il-Kurċifiss Mirakoluż Devozzjonali tal-1683 tal-Kanonku Giovanni Pietro Francesco Agius de Soldanis li jinsab fil-kappella tal-ġenb tal-Knisja. Il-Kor Parrokkjali tax-Xewkija “ULIED IL-BATTISTA” taħt id-direzzjoni tas-Sinjura Amy Borg se jipparteċipa u janima din il-manifestazzjoni. L-avveniment se jibda fis-7.30pm. Il-pubbliku huwa mistieden jattendi.
INFORMAZZJONI STORIKA
O nisrani devot, din ix-xbieha tal-Feddej Imsallab li int qiegħed tqim, magħrufa għall-bosta mirakli tagħha, li nħadmet f’Messina u mdendla ma’ ħajt ta’ waħda mid-djar, baqgħet bla mittiefsa meta n-nirien qerdu l-bqija; u li minn hemm, waqt li kienet tittieħed lejn Sirakuża, fuq wegħda tal-baħrin, ħelset il-ġifen minn nawfraġju l-aktar imminenti, u wara ġo Malta imriegħda b’terremot tal-biża’ fl-1693, kienet esposta għall-qima tal-pubbliku fil-knisja msejjħa tal-Vitorja; il-Kanonku Dun Franġisk Agius de Soldanis, Għawdxi, kisibha mingħand il-Kummendatur Fra Gabriele Miceli, u rregalha minn qalbu lil dawn il-Patrijiet Reliġjużi Kapuċċini fis-sena tal-fidwa 1747 sabiex titqiegħed ġo din il-Kappella ddedikata lilha, minn fejn bosta grazzji jiġu minnha miksuba.
