The Franciscan friars met for their annual Christmas gathering on Saturday 22 December, at the Franciscan church of Saint Mary of the Angels in Bahar ic-Caghaq. At 10.30 am the friars celebrated a moment of prayer, prepared and conducted by the Franciscan students in the presence of the Holy Eucharist. During their prayer the friars sang Christmas songs and listened to some reflections upon the Nativity of Jesus Christ. A fraternal get together followed at the premises of the local Christian community in the church’s basement.

This meeting has the aim of bringing together the friars of the Franciscan province before Christmas, since on that day they will be very occupied with the liturgical celebrations, the sacrament of penance, and the material preparations in our churches, where the traditional Christmas Mass at midnight will be celebrated, preceded by liturgical or para-liturgical celebrations, including the “sermon” given by a young boy or girl (“priedka tat-tifel”), recounting the
events of Christmas night in Bethlehem.

We would like to wish a blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with peace to all our readers.