This week marks the climax of the summer festa season with seven feasts on 15 August dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady, and another eight feasts on the weekend.
Assumption of Our Lady, seven localities - 15th August
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This feast, simply known as Santa Marija, is the most revered of all the summer festas and the one we look forward to most - not least because it is a public holiday too. It is celebrated in no fewer than seven localities, so you're spoilt for choice here. Head to Mqabba, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Qrendi, Mosta, Attard or Victoria in Gozo for spectacular fireworks, the most exuberant of brass band marches and joyous processions with the titular statue in the village streets. Remember, the best fireworks displays are always held on the eve of the festa and you won’t want to miss them. Fireworks factories pull out all the stops to produce the most creative pyrotechnics for Santa Marija, and some are even synchronised to music. Your problem will be choosing which one to watch!
Assumption of Our Lady, Comino, Zebbug (Gozo), Dingli, Mgarr - 19th August
So revered is our dear Santa Marija that there are a further four localities that celebrate its feast the weekend after the big day. The tiny island of Comino (total population: three) holds possibly the most charming commemoration of all. Celebrations begin on Thursday 16th August with a musical event in the evening aimed mostly at the young and the young at heart. On Friday 17th August a traditional festa dinner is held by the church. And on Saturday 18th August, mass is celebrated in the chapel at 6:30pm followed by the traditional procession with the titular statue accompanied by a brass band. The procession goes to the quay from where the parish priests blesses the boats. Afterwards it's party time, with food stalls, decorations and a Gozitan band playing Maltese music. There will also be regular ferry trips between Mgarr (Gozo) and Cirkewwa (Malta) during the three days of the festa.
The town of Zebbug in Gozo is also celebrating the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady this weekend. Of all the beautiful churches on the Maltese Islands (and there are around 400 of them) this one has the added bonus of being decorated in locally mined onyx which was discovered in the vicinity of the town in 1738. The high altar, the choir and the baptistery are all sculpted out of onyx. On Friday 17th August, the town will be inaugurating new street decorations which were made by the local youngsters along with an audiovisual show, the traditional “demonstration” with the statue and brass band march. The fireworks show will be held on Saturday night from around 9:30pm, and the procession with the titular statue on Sunday evening. Don’t miss the opportunity to take home some locally made ghazziela, a piece of unleavened dough, handmade by the parishioners, which are hung on windows and behind doors to protect them from thunderstorms.
Dingli, on the outskirts of Rabat, is another town celebrating the feast of Santa Marija on Sunday. A visit to the famous Dingli Cliffs is a must before heading into the town to take in the celebrations from the parish church, situated on the highest point of the Maltese Islands. The band march on Saturday starts at 8:30pm followed by a fireworks display from 10:30pm and mechanised ground fireworks from about 11:30pm near Dingli Cemetery. The main feast mass is celebrated on Sunday at 9am, followed by the boisterous morning march. The procession with the 157-year old titular statue starts at 7pm.
The rural village of Mgarr on Malta’s north-western coast uses their festa in honour of the Assumption to raise funds for charity and towards the maintenance of their church. Groups of residents bid against each other in an unofficial 'auction' of sorts to vie for the privilege of carrying the titular statue during the Sunday evening procession. The auction raises well in excess of €10,000.
Stella Maris, Sliema - 19th August
Stella Maris (which means Our Lady Star of the Sea) is the oldest of all the parish churches in Sliema and neighbouring Gzira, dating back to 1878. It’s hard to believe that the bustling residential town of Sliema was once a fishing hamlet, but 170 years ago it was little more than that. It is said that it derives its name from the opening words of the Hail Mary prayer “Sliem ghalik Marija” and refers to the residents’ strong devotion to Our Lady. A 16th century chapel that stood on the Tigne promontory, more or less where the shopping mall The Point now stands, served as a beacon and reference point to fishermen. Although the present church was built on a hill, it is no longer visible from the sea. It nonetheless still maintains a strong link with the sea, hence its name. Traditional fireworks as always are held on Saturday evening, and the procession with the titular statue starts on Sunday. Join in the fun of the Sunday morning brass band march.
St Leonard, Kirkop - 19th August
The area where the small village of Kirkop is located, next to Malta International Airport, has been inhabited since pre-history, with Punic catacombs surrounding it. There has been a village on this site since at least the 11th century. The parish church was built during the early years of the 16th century, and further enlarged between 1706 and 1779. Brass band marches take place every evening this week, but celebrations start going up a notch on Thursday 16th August, when the evening's march is followed by a fireworks spectacle synchronised to the overture "Pique Dame (Queen of Spades) by Franz von Suppé. The programme starts at 9pm. Friday evening's fireworks, which start after the 9pm brass band march, will be synchronised to live music performed by Versatile Brass playing L'Amour Toujours while the mechanised ground fireworks kick off late in the evening on Saturday 18th August. Celebrations on feast day Sunday start at 6pm, with a brass concert and the procession with the titular statue.
Our Lady of Lourdes, Paola - 19th August
This is Paola’s second feast in its second parish church (the other is dedicated to Christ the King and is Malta’s largest church). Paola was established by Grandmaster Antoine de Paule, hence the name, and is known in Maltese as Rahal Gdid (new town). Given that the foundation stone for this 'new town' was laid in 1626, the term 'new' is relative.
St Helen of Constantinople, Birkirkara - 19th August
The most populous town in Malta, it is also the only parish to hold the procession with the titular statue in the morning. Wake up early to make sure you get a good place to witness one of the most passionate of processions, which leaves the church dedicated to St Helen of Constantinople at exactly 8am and returns to a packed church at around 10:45am. The Karkarizi (residents of Birkirkara) are extremely proud of their statue, which was carved out of wood 180 years ago. Look out for the final run up the church steps with the heavy statue held aloft - always an exciting and jubilant finale to the procession.