A glimpse from 1858! Sketch of Valletta Street shows St Paul feast procession back in the day
This sketch dating all the way back to 1858 gives us a detailed glimpse into how St Paul feast celebrations looked like 168 years ago.
The detailed sketch shows the procession with the St Paul statue passing through the St Paul Street in Valletta as hundreds - if not thousands - gather around to watch the statue pass them and pray to the saint.
One can even see the mighty St Paul Church standing alongside many typical Maltese houses as the traditional Maltese balconies adorn them.
To this very day, many across the island are strongly devoted to St Paul as it is believed that after he was shipwrecked in a storm and landed in Malta, he brought Christianity to the islands.
The sketch was likely commissioned as back then some speculated that St Paul landed in Malta on the year 58 A.D., marking 1800 years since St Paul arrived on the island.
The feast is typically celebrated on the 10th February of each year, although it's sometimes delayed due to a clash with Carnival festivities. You can find more information about the feast here.
How did you spend the public holiday?