The past few weeks have brought with them several feasts in the Augustinian liturgical calendar. Alongside the feasts of Saint Monica and Saint Augustine in the final days of August, the beginning of September also saw the celebration of Our Lady of Consolation, Patroness of the Order, and Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, the first Augustinian religious to be canonised by the Church. Apart from the liturgical celebrations on the very day, these feasts were celebrated on different days in various Augustinian churches. Meanwhile, on the Solemnity of Saint Augustine, the Augustinian friars gathered for a moment of prayer and a meal together at the Valletta Priory.
The feasts of Saint Augustine and Saint Monica were celebrated with great solemnity on the liturgical day in the Church of Saint Augustine in Victoria, Gozo. In Valletta, the titular feast of Saint Augustine was celebrated on the third Sunday of September, with a programme of celebrations both inside the church and in the streets of the capital city.
The feast of Our Lady of Consolation was also celebrated on its liturgical day in the Church of Saint Augustine in Gozo. In Valletta and Rabat, it was celebrated on the first and second Saturdays of September, respectively. In addition to the celebrations in the church, a procession with the statue of Our Lady was held in both locations. The feast of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino was celebrated in a special way at the church dedicated to the Saint in Tarxien on the last Saturday of September.
Meanwhile, throughout September, several parishes across Malta celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Consolation. The final celebration in this series will take place in Gudja, where the feast is celebrated on the last Sunday of October.
