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Maltese Traditions related to Easter time

Easter in Malta is largely celebrated due to our Christian beliefs. 

The 40 days that precede Easter, known as Lent, is a time for sole searching, for reflecting, a time to repent of sins. It is for this reason that many people choose to abstain from eating meat or sweets (especially the children) on Wednesdays and Fridays. On such days it is typical to eat soups such as 'Soppa ta' l-Armla'  (Widow's Soup), artichockes or anchovy pies 'Qassatat ta' l- Incova'.

Today, when we remember 'Our Lady of Sorrows', a procession is organised in various towns and villages. With great devotion worshipers pray, sing hymns and sometimes the devoted walk barefooted behind the statue as sign of sacrifice, to express gratitude for receiving a special grace.

On Good Friday, children and adults parade along with the statues all dressed up as Biblicists figures, Romans soldiers, Jewish attire and other personnages connected with the Passion of the Christ.

The mood changes totally on Sunday, when the ringing of church bells announces the Resurrection of Christ. Mid-morning on Easter Sunday, a procession with the statue of the Risen Christ - 'l-Irxoxt' moves along the streets accompanied by band playing festive tunes. At the end, the way is cleared and the statue-bearers take a run to carry the Risen Christ triumphantly back into the church.

Easter day is traditionally celebrated with a special family lunch. It is also a time to visit relatives and friends, exchanging good wishes and small presents. It’s also tradition to give children chocolate-coated easter eggs and a ‘figolla’, almond-filled pastry in the shape of a rabbit, lamb, fish or heart, covered in icing sugar.

Widow's Soup

Celebrating the Resurrection of Christ

'Il- Figolla' - Easter Almond-filled Pastry

C'est intéressant!

Recently we have looked at French feasts and traditions linked to them. Add a comment and tell us more about feasts and traditions in your town / region / country!!

6th January - 'la galette des Rois'

1 April - 'Poisson d'avril' LOL

1st May - one offers 'muguet' as a sign of good luck

14 July - National Feast, when one commemorates the fall of Bastille in 1789

Photos of Malta

Between the 12th and the 16th of March, a Photo Exhibition has been set up in Pisa on the occasion of the second Project Meeting. The children's task was to capture different aspects of their country's Cultural Heritage through photography. Hereunder are the selected photos of Malta for this exhibition.

The Mosta Church

Mdina, the Silent City

Carnival Celebrations, Valletta

Hagar Qim Temples

Mtarfa Tower

Ta Cenc Cliffs, Gozo

Gnejna Bay

The Azur Window, Gozo

Folklore Dancers

Ghannejja - Folklore musicians

Valletta, the capital city

Auberge de Castille, Valletta

Filfla, one of the islands of the Archipelago

Typical Maltese fishing boat

Zurrieq Valley

Thank you for sharing your spring traditions ! We have a year 7 pupil whose Mum comes from Bulgaria. She lent us some martenitsas for our school Open Days last month. Lovely !

Baba Marta: A spring tradition

According to popular Bulgarian belief, the month of March is female in nature and the weather is considered to be as unreliable as the character of a woman: one day it may be sunny and warm but the next it can be stormy and freezing cold.

Bulgarians respect “Baba Marta” highly. On the first day of March we give relatives and friends a martenitsa – a red and white tassel – to bring health and happiness. We put it on our clothes or wrists and wish each other health and happiness. This is an ancient Bulgarian tradition, most probably more than a thousand years old, which symbolizes the end of winter and the coming of spring.

It is believed that the red colour grants fertility to both people and nature and the white gives strength to grow rich crops. We keep our martenitsas on until the first storks and swallows arrive or the first cuckoos call. Then we take our martenitsas off and tie them to a tree that is in blossom or leave them under a stone and make a wish.