During the past week, the Seminary community celebrated the solemnity of St Joseph, patron saint of the universal Church. Since on the 1st of May the community would not have been at the Seminary to celebrate the memorial of St Joseph worker, it was transferred to the 29th of April. However, the liturgy celebrated was that of St Joseph, patron saint of the universal Church. This is because on the 19th of March, since the country was in partial lockdown, the Seminary was closed, and the community was not able to celebrate this important solemnity. Thus, these adjustments were made.
This year, the solemnity was observed in a different and more significative way. This is because on Pope Francis’s wish, the Church is celebrating a year dedicated to St Joseph, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary from the proclamation of St Joseph as patron saint of the universal Church by Pope Pius IX. As spiritual preparation, the community celebrated a holy triduum from the 26th to the 28th of April. During these three day, the singing of the vespers started at 7.00pm. After the lectio brevis, Rev. Roberto Gauci delivered a 40-minute meditation inspired by the life of St Joseph. After the vespers, the antiphon Exsurgens Ioseph was sung on a musical arrangement by Mro Nazzareno Refalo. Each day of the triduum was concluded with a brief exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the Eucharistic Benediction. On the 29th April, at 6.30am, the Rector Can Richard Farrugia presided high mass. The homily was made by the deacon Rev. Andrew Grima.
