The Malta International Organ Festival
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      • Andres Uibo
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      • Daniel Zaretskiy
      • Dominika Zamara
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      • Piret Aidulo
      • Geoffrey Alvarez
      • Dominique Aubert
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      • Roberta Bugeja
      • Dion Buhagiar
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      • Giesme Choir
      • Diego Cannizzaro
      • Joseph Caruana
      • Marco D'Avola
      • Philippe Emmanuel Haas
      • Yfke Hoogevee
      • Joseph Lia
      • Wayne Marshall
      • Yaroslav Mikulkho
      • Alexandra Orlova
      • Elena Sartori
      • Christian Schmitt
      • Aare Tammesalu
      • Andres Uibo
      • Erwin Wiersinga
      • Daniel Zaretskiy
    • Artists 2015 >
      • Aare Tammesalu
      • Adriano Morea
      • Andres Uibo
      • Ciricino Micheletto
      • Daniel Zaretskiy
      • Denis Kasparovitch
      • Diego Cannizzaro
      • Erwin Wiersinga
      • Evgenia Krivitskaia
      • George Devdariani
      • Gianluca Libertucci
      • Gianpiero Cristaldi
      • James Ham
      • Joseph Caruana
      • John Aquilina
      • John Galea
      • Joseph Lia
      • Maria Lyudko
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      • Olga Makarina
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      • Simone Vebber
      • Vladimir Suzdalevich
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      • Alfred Fenech
      • Anastasia Bogacheva
      • Dion Buhagiar
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      • Elena Yaskunova
      • Francesca Farrugia
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      • Irina Rozanova
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      • Wayne Marshall
  • Venues
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    • St. John's Co-Cathedral Oratory, Valletta
    • St. Cajetan Parish Church, Hamrun
    • St Julian's Parish Church, St Julian's
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November 15 till December 7 2018

Jesus of Nazareth Chapel, Xagħra, Gozo

About the Organ

Picture
The organ in this chapel is of German organ. It was brought to Malta by Robert Buhagiar in 2005 and placed in storage. It was subsequently restored and later installed in Nazzarenu Church in 2016. The voicing of the organ has been specifically improved to fit the acoustics of its new home. It is fully mechanical, with one keyboard, a 27-note pedalboard and 6 speaking stops. Its stoplist is well suited for liturgical and accompaniment roles, as well as the execution of certain organ repertoire.

Courtesy of Ing. Robert Buhagiar

History

Picture
 
Work on the building of this church started in 1902 on the initiative of Rev Can Francis Sultana, who later served as the first rector.
The plan of the church was designed by the self-taught architect Rev Can Joseph Diacono, the then archpriest of Xagħra. The building was directed by the master mason Ġueppi Azzopardi who also hailed from this village.
The ceremony of the blessing of the foundation stone took place on Sunday evening, September 20, 1903. This special occasion was led by the diocesan bishop, H.E. Giovanni Maria Camilleri, OSA.
The building took almost eight years to be completed. At times funds ran short but benefactors would soon emerge to save the situation.
The church was blessed in November 1910 by the newly elected archpriest Rev Can Maurizio Cauchi.
Since the erection of the church the surrounding areas, namely Gajdoru, Gnien Xibla, Ghejun, Mannar and Ta’ Gorf, have been nicknamed as In-Nazzarenu.
The church can boast of several pieces of high artistic value.
The titular picture, dated 1908, is the work of the renowned Maltese artist Lazzaro Pisani. It represents the standing figure of Jesus the Nazarene surrounded by ten gracious puttini.
Other celebrated artists include the Italian immortale Virgilio Monti, and the Maltese illustrious Giuseppe Cali’ and :anni Vella.
Compatriots Mons M’Angelo Apap and Ninu Apap also left their marks in the church sacristy.
The church is also adorned with the works of the distinguished Gozitan sculptor Com. Agostino Camilleri. His papier-mâché statues have been embellishing the church interior since the 1940’s.
The Dedication of the Church.
The preparations for the church’s dedication started in 1930 during the rectorship of Rev Can Lawrence Attard. The main altar was covered in fine marble by Galea Marble works of Rabat, Malta. The bishop of Gozo, H.E. Mons Giuseppe Pace, performed the dedication ceremony on Sunday, 15th November, 1931. The church is dedicated to Jesus of Nazareth.
The Titular Feast
The first recorded titular feast was celebrated in July, 1911. Maestro Agostino Masini conducted the liturgical music. Up to 1947 the titular festivities used to be celebrated mainly within the church. The facade used to be illuminated with many coloured oil-lamps. In 1924 we find the first mention of fireworks. In the 1930’s the local youngsters used to set up a late-night bonfire on the eve of the feast, in front of the churchyard.
The first outdoor solemn procession with the Sacred Sacrament took place on October 31st, 1948, on the initiative of the 4th rector Rev Can Giuseppe Said.
Later on, the village Band played festive marches along the main roads. More organised fireworks were included. Moreover, during the last decade cultural and folkloristic activities were introduced. The yearly wine-tasting competition is one of these popular traditional activities.
During the summer of 2002 an intensive project was launched. This dealt mainly with the restoration and refurbishment of the church interior. The principal aim is the liturgical adaptation of the presbytery area as recommended by the Vatican Council II.
1903 – 2003:
The first centenary of the blessing of the foundation stone.
The special occasion of this first anniversary was celebrated with a musico-letterary evening under the patronage of the Vigar General, Mons Giov. Gauci. This activity was organised in front of the churchyard on Saturday evening, the 20th of September, 2003. This commemoration was part of a 15-day long programme of religious and social activities which culminated with the solemn celebration of the titular feast of Christ the King on Sunday, September 28th.
During Chrismas-tide a live show representing the Nativity of Baby Jesus is set up in an old farmhouse in the vicinity of the church.
This activity has been organised since 2001. About thirty persons, dressed in Biblical costumes, re-enact the traditional Bethlehem scenes among live animals roaming about in a real rural setting.

​http://www.xaghraparish.org/

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  • Home
  • Programme
  • Artists
    • Artists 2018 >
      • Gail Archer
      • Dmitry Banaev
      • Giacomo Benedetti
      • Alesandro Bianchi
      • Diego Cannizzaro
      • Jason Camilleri
      • Franco Cefai
      • Reggie Clews
      • Marco D'Avola
      • Dina El
      • Sandro Gori
      • Jurgen Grima
      • Petr Ilyash
      • Joseph Lia
      • Stefano Molardi
      • Marco Lo Muscio
      • Luca Magni
      • Olga Makarina
      • Mariella Mochi
      • Sergio Orabona
      • Neils Pfeffer
      • Natalia Rakhmatulina
      • Irina Rozanova
      • Christian Schmitt
      • Daniela Tremaroli
      • Simone Valeri
      • Petra Veenswijk
      • Kristina Vilotševa
    • Artists 2017 >
      • Brendan Ball
      • Riccardo Bianchi
      • Ka Bo Chan
      • Franco Cefai
      • Maurice Clerc
      • David Davies
      • Marco D'Avola
      • Semjon Kalinowsky
      • Luca Magni
      • Gaulitanus Choir
      • Taras Baginets
      • Martino Pòrcile
      • Giuliana Maccaroni
      • Hugo Agius Muscat
      • Julian Mallek
      • Zita Nauratyill
      • Joseph Lia
      • Wayne Marshall
      • Aare Tammesalu
      • Andres Uibo
      • Mark Vassallo
      • Daniel Zaretskiy
      • Dominika Zamara
    • Artists 2016 >
      • Piret Aidulo
      • Geoffrey Alvarez
      • Dominique Aubert
      • Heribert Breuer
      • Roberta Bugeja
      • Dion Buhagiar
      • SIlvia Di Falco
      • Giesme Choir
      • Diego Cannizzaro
      • Joseph Caruana
      • Marco D'Avola
      • Philippe Emmanuel Haas
      • Yfke Hoogevee
      • Joseph Lia
      • Wayne Marshall
      • Yaroslav Mikulkho
      • Alexandra Orlova
      • Elena Sartori
      • Christian Schmitt
      • Aare Tammesalu
      • Andres Uibo
      • Erwin Wiersinga
      • Daniel Zaretskiy
    • Artists 2015 >
      • Aare Tammesalu
      • Adriano Morea
      • Andres Uibo
      • Ciricino Micheletto
      • Daniel Zaretskiy
      • Denis Kasparovitch
      • Diego Cannizzaro
      • Erwin Wiersinga
      • Evgenia Krivitskaia
      • George Devdariani
      • Gianluca Libertucci
      • Gianpiero Cristaldi
      • James Ham
      • Joseph Caruana
      • John Aquilina
      • John Galea
      • Joseph Lia
      • Maria Lyudko
      • Mari-Liis Uibo
      • Olga Makarina
      • Roberto Rigo
      • Simone Vebber
      • Vladimir Suzdalevich
    • Artists 2014 >
      • Alfred Fenech
      • Anastasia Bogacheva
      • Dion Buhagiar
      • Dmitry Banaev
      • Elena Yaskunova
      • Francesca Farrugia
      • Graziella Debattista
      • Irina Rozanova
      • Malta Police Band
      • Vladimir Shliapnikov
      • Wayne Marshall
  • Venues
    • St Francis of Assisi Church, Valletta
    • Our Lady of Victories, Valletta
    • St. Paul's Anglican Pro- Cathedral, Valletta
    • Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Church, Fontana Gozo
    • Annunciation of Our Lady Parish Church, Balzan
    • St. John's Co-Cathedral Oratory, Valletta
    • St. Cajetan Parish Church, Hamrun
    • St Julian's Parish Church, St Julian's
    • Gozo Cathedral, Cittadella, VIctoria, Gozo
    • Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Church, Balluta
    • Jesus of Nazareth Chapel, Xagħra, Gozo
    • Annunciation Parish Church (Rotunda), Mosta
    • St. Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral, Mdina
    • St John of the Cross Parish Church, Ta'Xbiex
    • St. Augustine Church, Valletta
    • St Nicholas Parish Church, Siġġiewi
    • Xewkija Parish Church, Gozo
    • Our Lady of Ta' Pinu Sanctuary, Gozo
  • Masterclasses
  • Contact