Avoid the angry mob! 7 things you should know if you’re on the islands in Easter Week
You can’t say we didn’t warn you.
Viewingmalta.com
1. Keep the volume down if you’re passing through a procession
You might be on your way back home after office drinks when you happen upon a sombre procession around town, by which point you’ll realise that these Good Friday staples are a pretty serious affair. You might want to spare yourself some death stares and keep the volume down if you’re having an intense debate with your buddy about anything that is not religious.
2. Don’t brag about your steak dinner on Good Friday
Many Maltese go out of their way to highlight the absence of meat from their diet on Good Friday, and will probably tell anyone who’d listen that they should do the same. So, even if you did just finish off a juicy burger for lunch or a fat steak for dinner, best to keep it on the down-low to avoid making enemies.
3. But don’t feel obliged to fast either
Many locals claim to fast as a sign of penance, and eat sparingly throughout the day on Good Friday, until they’re presented with two dozen ricotta ravjul (ravioli) covered in a delicious red sauce and lashings of grated cheese for dinner. Hey, it’s still a meatless meal!
4. Don’t mock the shapes of our beloved figolli
Admittedly, the shapes of traditional figolli speak to kids more than adults – the Easter basket, a bunny, a heart. But the truth is we all become kids again at the sight of this much-loved confection, no matter how absurd its decoration and form.
5. Or that brown Lenten sweet we call kwarezimal
Ever wondered what the brown, loaf-like brick was at cafés and confectionaries around the island? Its odd shape and lacklustre colour don’t do it any favours, but kwarezimal, with its crunchy consistency and seasonal appearance, is another eyebrow-raising confection that you shouldn’t say a word against.
6. People do dress to kill for church
Well, Easter is a big deal in the Church’s and island’s annual calendar. It’s just like Christmas, only a little less festive (until that multi-course meal begins on Easter Sunday). So the devoted will turn up for liturgical events in their absolute finest, rain or shine. If you intend to participate, hang up your hoodie and converse just this once.
7. There HAVE been accidents involving statues
On Easter Sunday, the statue of the Risen Christ (Kristu L-Irxoxt) is fast-tracked into church on the shoulders of running men. This might sound like a bizarre and dangerous activity, and it is – statues have fallen and broken during various feasts, while others have toppled but were salvaged in the nick of time. You’ll be tempted to laugh out loud if you see this happen, which is understandable, but try to lend a hand first – anything to avoid a divine disaster.