On Sunday, the Maltese Islands celebrate the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary with the localities of Mosta, Attard, Mqabba, Qrendi, Gudja, Ghaxaq and Victoria in Gozo organising spectacular feasts.

However, this year’s feast has been marred by the death of a fireworks enthusiast in a massive explosion at the Mosta fireworks factory on Friday afternoon. This also led to the cancellation of all outdoor feast festivities at Mosta.

According to the belief of many Christians, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life. The feast day of the Assumption on 15th August is a public holiday in many countries, including Lebanon, Italy, Malta, Belgium, Portugal, France, Spain, Greece and Chile.

The day also commemorates the arrival of the so-called Santa Marija convoy. Operation Pedestal was a British convoy of fifteen merchant ships that barely made it to Malta with food, ammunition and provisions in August 1942 during World War II.

The arrival of the convoy was deemed miraculous since other convoys which had attempted to reach the island in previous months had sunk after they were bombed.

Meanwhile, thousands of Maltese workers are enjoying their annual shut-down, with many choosing Gozo as their holiday destination.

These past two days, it has been hot and sunny with the rainy season nowhere in sight. In fact, maximum temperatures are expected to remain slightly above average for the next few days at 33 to 35 degrees Celsius.

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