The Victoria Local Council has seen fit to honour Mgr Felix Tabone with Ġieħ il-Belt Victoria. The honour – which will be bestowed tomorrow evening at Independence Square – is given to those who have been of service to our town.
Mgr Tabone has been serving St George’s as Parish Vicar at least since 1979. Ordained a priest at St George’s Basilica by the then Archbishop of Florence the late Cardinal Ermenegildo Florit, Fr Tabone served as Assistant Parish Priest at the Assumption of Mary Parish in the Cinecittà area of Rome. After a year, he was recalled by Bishop of Gozo Nicholas J. Cauchi to help Archpriest Mgr Emmanuel Mercieca as Assistant Parish Priest at St George’s.
More than four decades later, he still serves the same purpose! From early in the morning to mid-morning and from early in the afternoon to evening, he is the most familiar face at St George’s where he has served under five different parish priests: Mgr Emanuel Mercieca, Mgr Saviour Borg, Mgr Dr Joseph Farrugia, Mgr Paul Cardona, and the present parish priest Mgr Joseph Curmi. He is easily the longest-serving ‘vigarju parrokkjali’ in the history of our diocese!
In the same spirit of our city’s motto A Magna Maxima, we wish Dun Feliċ – as he is known by one and all – Ad altiora! To higher things!