The celebrations and functions that take place during the Lenten Period are amongst the most looked for by the Maltese population. Particularly in the town of Zejtun, the Holy Week celebrations bring together thousands of people gathered in an athmosphere of recollection and spiritual reflection.

These celebrations vary from Religious functions inside the Parish Church and small chapels scattered around the town, to processions and manifestations of sorrow and joy.

Basically, during the Holy week and the week before, four processions make their way through the streets of Zejtun. These take place on "Our Lady of Sorrows" day (one week before Good Friday), "Palm Sunday", "Good Friday" and "Easter Sunday".

These procession express a mixture of Religious faith, folklore and culture. Year after year, these activities are not only being recollected and transmitted from generation to generation but are also reinforced by the introduction of further initiatives by different clubs and individual members of the Zejtun congregation.

The first procession takes place a week before Good Friday. It is better known as Our Lady Of Sorrows celebration (Id-Duluri). It is considered a very special day by the Maltese community, during which the great part of the population takes part in the spiritual activities that go on during the day.

The picture on the right shows the procession that takes place in the our town Zejtun. The congregation takes part in the procession by following the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows (in top left of the picture) in a pilgrimage round the central streets of Zejtun praying the Holy Rosary.

The pilgrimage is just one part of the religious activities that are organised during this particular day. In fact the congregation takes active part in the Holy Mass celebration, the Sacrament of Confession and even fast throughout the day.

The second procession is takes place one week before Easter Sunday. In fact on Palm Sunday the Church celebrates the entrance of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. The Holy Gospel relates that the people of Jerusalem greeted Christ with olive branches and palms, from which the name Palm Sunday is derived.

The Zejtun congregation, like the in the rest of the Christian world, celebrates this occasion with a special function. This starts with a procession from the old Church of St.Gregory up to the Zejtun Parish Church, with a number of people dressed in costumes representing the Jerusalem people, whilst a man is dressed in white represents Christ. To emulate the Holy Gospel words, this man takes part in the procession on donkey back and the people mime the greetings whilst waving the olive and palm branches.

At the end of the procession the Parish Priest celebrates the Solemn Palm Sunday Mass in the Zejtun Parish Church.

Maundy Thursday, which in Maltese is known as "Hamis ix-Xirka", is the day before Good Friday. The only Holy Mass Celebrated at Zejtun during this day in the one celebrated in the evening. During the this Mass, the Church celebrates the Institution of the sacraments of Reconciliation (Confession), Holy Orders and Holy Eucharist. As part of the mass the celebrant symbolically washes the feet of twelve members of the congregation, representing the twelve apostles.

Soon after this Celebration, the community starts what is called "Is-Seba' Visti", which are prayers said in seven differnt chapels where the Holy Sacrament in exposed for prayers and veneration. This continues on Good Friday Morning until noon.

Good Friday is synonimous with the third procession - Good Friday Procession. This procession comes out of the Zejtun Parish Church on Good Friday afternoon, during which a set of twelve (12) statues representing episodes from the Passion of Jesus Christ are carried shoulder height. The procession starts soon after the 3'o clock celebration, which reminds us of the Passion of Jesus Christ.

The procession takes the form of a pagaent with a number of people dressed as Biblical Figures and Roman Soldiers. During this procession the Beland Band takes part by marching through the procession in front of the impressive figure of the crucifiction playing Funeral Marches (which are very popular amongst fans of the club).

Below you can see some pictures taken during the procession (courtesy of Martin Bilocca and Leli Zahra)

The Bugles section of the Roman Band

Side view of the statue of Simon of
Cirene carried shoulder height

Roman Soldier Carrying Emblem

More Roman Soldiers marching
in front on the Beland
Band and the Crucifixtion Statue

The Crucifixion

"La Pieta" Statue

Maltese Good Friday MUSIC
The Beland Band Club has issued a CD with traditional Good Friday Marches played on Good Friday.
Click here for more information