Being so small, the Maltese Islands have always been subject to startling contrasts because of occasions which directly contrast each other but remain community popular in their populous celebration.
The month of February is highly illustrative in this contrast because of the most solemn celebration of St Paul’s Shipwreck, Malta’s patron saint, and the loose-moral and often sinful behaviour of Carnival heralding the deprivation of 40 days of Lent during severe Church warnings that moral infringements are a sure passport to the burning fires of hell!
Further contrastingly, this coming month kicks off on Saturday, 1st February with a Whisky Festival 2025 to be held at Giardini Lambrosa in Rabat, Malta from 7pm onward.
This is a modern wedding and events venue which opened its doors in early 2016 and is set in the idyllic surroundings of the open Rabat countryside with the Mdina skyline as a stunning backdrop, a venue which boasts spacious indoor and outdoor spaces.
There should be a whisky to suit everyone’s palate and will offer a wide range of world-class whiskies such as Japanese blends and classic Scottish whiskies. Those attending will be able to experience a lively atmosphere enhanced by live music, enhancing their enjoyment of the drink, as well as exploring new tastes and expanding their horizons.
The Feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck takes place on February 10th each year, and as Paul is the patron saint of Malta, it is a much-anticipated event. It is one of only a handful that has the status of a national holiday.
The account of Paul’s shipwreck and three-month, wintertime stay on Malta is found in the Bible’s Acts 27:27 through 28:11. He was being taken to Rome as a prisoner to eventually stand trial before Caesar.
According to the Bible, God let him know in advance he would be shipwrecked but would spare the lives of all on board, which promise was later kept and in answer to Paul’s prayers for their lives. The Bible says the storm was in the Adriatic Sea, though Malta borders the Ionian Sea, because in ancient times, the Adriatic’s boundaries were considered to extend much farther south.
The ship broke up on the rocks near the shores of Malta, and all swam ashore. The local population greeted them, but thought he might be a murderer whom the “goddess of justice” had finally caught up with after he was bitten by a poisonous snake.
After he lived, however, they supposed him to be, perhaps, a God.
Paul, however, soon showed them it was God’s power at work in a mere man by healing the Governor of the island, Publius, and many others who were sick or disabled among the island’s population.
The Feast of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck is celebrated with great pomp and circumstance at the Parish Church of Saint Paul Shipwrecked in Malta’s capital city of Valletta. It is also a day of processions and family get-togethers.
The celebratory Holy Mass will be held in the evening of the day itself at the Church of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck, which is among the oldest churches in Valletta, dating from the 1570s.
Besides the homily and singing, one may see the church containing many significant works of art, including its altarpiece, a number of paintings, and a wooden, carved statue of Saint Paul that dates from 1659.
There are also relics of Paul to be seen, including his alleged wrist bone and a piece of the column he is said to have been beheaded on.
The procession carrying Saint Paul’s statue from the church building will proceed through Valletta’s streets after the Mass during the evening, amid marching band music, falling confetti, overhanging banners, and cheering crowds. There is also a noontime procession with just the marching band.
On the eve of the day there will be a spectacular band march by the famed La Valette Band with confetti showering down on the bands persons and fireworks will explode over the Grand Harbour throughout the two days.
In great contrast to all this solemnity, the annual Carnival will close the month on Friday 28th February to 3rd March.
These are three days of great merriment and waywardness of an event which has also been ongoing since the Middle Ages. These are three days when the community “let’s its hair down” and it is well-known that in the times of the Knights of St John, the Knights sworn to maintain celibacy, used to wear elaborate face masks to hide their faces would enjoy sexual relations with wayward women!
However, the next article will include all the Carnival know-how.
ALBERT FENECH
