By our Malta correspondent, Albert Fenech
Malta and Gozo guarantees you will never have a dull moment throughout July and August.
Words are debateable and contestable, can change, alternate, be reversed but above all, be open to interpretation.
Figures are more concrete and although they can also be disputed for interpretation, the bottom line is that figures cannot be changed.
There are 356 days in a year and 357 in a Leap Year. Seven months have 31 days and four months have 30 days, one month has 28 days and once every four years this changes to 29. That’s that and cannot be changed except by universal and international agreement.
Pyrotechnics are an indispensible part of celebrations and life in Malta and Gozo and have existed from the time of the Knights of St John over 400 years ago.
Today these have become an art-form and much sought for their techniques of manufacture.
There are 35 pyrotechnic factories in Malta and Gozo and 20 of these are combined with local band clubs and three are entirely private. Over and above there are 70 pyrotechnic committees which do not have a factory but purchase fireworks for their celebrations.
Throughout a year 85 religious festas are celebrated in cities, towns and villages and local preparations are tremendous with festive street decorations, the embellishment of churches and the heavens coloured by the beautiful artistic colours of fireworks decorations, both ground and aerial – and the chiming of bells.
Over 20 weeks of summer in Malta and Gozo (June, July, August and September) but particularly during the months of July and August, no less than 67 festas are celebrated over 92 days and as each festa takes a minimum of three days and a few over five days, this means festas require 220 days in all because there are various occasions when on the same day six or seven festas may be celebrated in different localities daily.
There are 4,000 historically heritage sites in the two minute islands. When you are here you can either forget everything or take in as much as the body and the brain can contain!
Briefly this is an analysis of a three day festa activity; on the eve, street brass band marches and displays of ground and aerial fireworks; on the day, religious processions and more aerial fireworks; on the day after, celebration beach parties – noise and confusion!
Most are dedicated to saints and disciples, Our Lady, Jesus Christ or historically religious events. The most locally and nationally celebrated this year will fall on:
IN JULY
7th – St. Paul, Rabat, Malta
14th – The Annunciation, Balzan
16th – Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Valletta
21st – St. Sebastian, Qormi
21st – St. George, Victoria, Gozo
21st – St. Joseph, Msida
21st – Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Zurrieq
28th – Christ the King, Paola
IN AUGUST
4th – St. Dominic, Valletta
6th – Christ Our Saviour, Lija
10th – St. Laurence, Birgu (Vittoriosa)
11th – San Gaetano, Hamrun
15th – The Assumption of Our Lady: Mqabba | Qrendi | Mosta | Gudja | Attard | Ghaxaq | Victoria (Rabat), Gozo | Birkirkara | Hal-Muxi Zebbug
18th – St Helen, Birkirkara
18th – Our Lady of Lourdes – Paola
25th – St Leonard – Kirkop
25th – St Dominic, Vittoriosa
I will give details of which are regarded as being the most boisterous for celebrations in different forms and the best most popular and attended.
San Gaetano on Sunday, 11th August in Hamrun is the most boisterous, most active and most attended. Nowadays it is spread over five days and although not famed for fireworks it is undoubtedly the most musically best oriented for brass street band marches attended by many thousands.
The parish has two main bands, the San Gaetano Band and the St Joseph Band and they compete continually against each other to attract the most followers and celebrants. Never mind the heat and the scintillating sun, beer and alcohol flow freely and physical movement is outstanding.
The feast of the Assumption on 15th August (a national and public holiday) is the most revered and is celebrated in eight parishes, the most prominent being Mosta and its magnificent dome.
Localities like Valletta, Paola, Sliema, Zebbug, Mqabba, Rabat and Qormi as well as Rabat in Gozo have more than one parish and these rival each other to produce the best while Mqabba, Qrendi, Lija and Birkirkara compete in fireworks.
Not interested in any of these? Not to worry, there are 4,000 national heritage sites to be selected and viewed and never a dull moment is guaranteed.
Still not interested … we have amongst the most beautiful sea bays in Malta and guaranteed daily sparkling sunshine.
Good To Know: Open air and boisterous
WOW! Factor: Attended by many, many thousands
Top Tip: Go easy on the alcohol!
ALBERT FENECH: salina46af@gmail.com
Church & Choir photos kindly supplied by Edward Fenech
