The Feast of Our Lady Queen of Victories in Adelaide, South Australia
(il-Bambina) - Patroness of the Maltese Community in S.A. The Feast celebrations of the Bambina begin annually on the week before the feast where the Maltese Chaplaincy Festivities Group hold a Social Evening at the Lockleys Parish Community Hall inviting all volunteers and musicians of our band.
The following week, on the October Labour Day long weekend the Feast continue with the Friday night tribute in honour of Our Lady Queen Of Victories in the Parish Church of Christ The King Lockleys. The night starts at 7.00pm with the Statue of Our Lady brought in Procession from the Franciscan Sisters Regional House to the Church. Along the procession the Holy Rosary is recited and the M.Q.V.Band accompanies playing religious hymns.
In the Church the representatives of the Maltese Societies and individuals present Our Lady with beautiful Flower arrangements and place them in front of her on the Altar. Each representative then reads a Poem as a tribute to our Lady. Our band has been represented in this tribute every year for the last 24 years.
The tribute ends with the recital of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Sacramental Benediction. After the Liturgical function the band takes part in a short March from the Church to the Parish Centre where everyone gathers to share in some nibbles and refreshments. The band plays a couple of Maltese Traditional Marches.
The next morning our band usually greets our Victorian friends, the musicians and Committee members of the Maltese Own Philharmonic Band of Victoria who arrive by Coach and the members of The Maltese Chaplaincy Festivities Group and the MQVB treat everyone on the coach with a cooked breakfast.
In the Evening both bands render a short Concert at the Social Evening, playing Maltese Marches and popular numbers and enjoy eachother's company and chat about all thats happenned in their respective band over the year over Dinner. The Maltese Community is treated to other entertainment in the hall..
Feast Day on Sunday starts at 3.00pm with the Feast Mass in the Church which is usually packed with Maltese and local Parishioners. The M.C.F.G Choir takes part in the Mass.
The devotional and artistic statue of Our Lady Queen of Victories was brought in Procession after Mass and the Holy Rosary is recited once again in the Church grounds and around the nearby streets. The two bands accompany the statue taking turnns in playing Religious Hymns and Marches. The various Maltese Societies also take part with their Society's banner. A good number of Maltese children participate as Altar Boys and as Knights.
After the Procession, the statue of Our Lady once again enters the Church for the Eucaristic Benediction and the Feast continues with entertainment from the Maltese Queen Of Victories Band and the Maltese Own Band, where both give a Muscial Concert in the Hall playing Marches and other popular music.
It is a very busy and demanding feast for all the musicians playing on the three days of the feast, which ends annually around 11.00pm with a Mass Band playing Maltese marches along the colourfully lit up driveway under the Maltese banners and Pavaljuni. A lot of the Maltese come out and enjoy the Brijju March waving flags and singing along with the music.
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