By Kerry Gaffney | Last Updated 4 November 2026
Immaculate Conception Feast in Victoria, Gozo: 8 December 2026
Victoria’s Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on 8 December at St Francis of Assisi Church, home to the Franciscan friars on the edge of the town centre. It shares its date with Qala’s feast, but the two feel very different: this one is an evening celebration in the heart of Gozo’s capital, with two band marches and a procession that winds through Victoria’s main squares.
Feast at a Glance
Date: Tuesday 8 December 2026
Location: St Francis of Assisi Church, St Francis Square, Victoria
Cost: Free
Highlights: Eve-of-feast band marches, the statue raised in St Francis Square, evening procession through Victoria
The Build-Up
The celebrations start in late November, when the statue of the Immaculate Conception is brought out after the Sunday morning Mass, with the Chorus Urbanus choir singing. A novena follows, with the rosary each evening before Mass, then a three-day triduum.
The Eve of the Feast
This is the night for the bands. In 2025, the Santa Margerita band of Sannat marched in from near the Conservatory to meet Victoria’s La Stella band outside the Franciscan Centre, where the two played together. They then carried on with the statue of the Immaculate Conception, made by Pawlu Aquilina in 2002, through the surrounding streets and back to St Francis Square. There, the statue is raised onto its monumental pedestal while the bands play Ave Maria and the hymn to the Immaculate Conception.
What Happens on 8 December
Times below are from the 2025 programme; check the Kunvent San Franġisk Gozo Facebook page for 2026.
Masses through the day, from 05:30
- 09:30 Solemn Mass, with the panegyric on the Immaculate Conception
- 17:00 Second Vespers
- 17:15 La Stella band marches to the square in front of the church
- 18:00 Procession with the statue through Victoria, with the La Stella band
- 20:30 The Innaru band of Nadur marches to St Francis Square, then plays on while the procession is inside the church
The Procession Route
In 2025 the procession left St Francis Square along Triq Palma, Republic Street and Independence Square, then through St Joseph Street, St George’s Square, Triq il-Karità and Triq Vajringa, before returning to St Francis Square. It’s a good chance to see the old streets of Victoria at their most crowded.
Top Tip: Find a spot in Independence Square early. It’s the widest point on the route and the easiest place to watch the statue go past.
Make a Day of It
The Villa Rundle Illuminated Gardens are lit every evening through the festive season and are a few minutes’ walk from St Francis Square. For more on the town, see our Victoria guide, and for everything else on in December, see our Gozo December events page.
How to Get There
Victoria is the capital of Gozo and is very easy to get to, virtually all bus routes start or end at its terminus, and there are plenty of car parks available, should you chose to drive.
Where to Stay
Victoria is an excellent place to base yourself, no matter what time of year you plan to visit Gozo, especially if you’re planning a trip without a car.
As you’d expect for the capital, there’s a wide range of accommodation. From a cosy townhouse within the walls of the Citadel to the luxurious Palazzo Guiseppe, and everything in between.
Explore the map below to check out your options.