Saint Ġorġ Preca, Churches and the village feasts
Churches in Malta
In the small island state of Malta, the church or chapel is a common feature of the landscape. Many churches in Malta dominate the skyline, and the domes and steeples can usually be seen from across the island. One can usually find the centre of a town or village by driving towards the parish church, although many towns and village cores usually feature two or more churches and chapels.
• On the islands of Malta and Gozo, there are a total of 359 churches (313 in Malta and 46 in Gozo). • In Malta, every locality has its parish church, apart from two or three small localities. • This means that there is a "church density" of slightly more than 1 church per square kilometer. • There are also localities that have more than one parish church, like Sliema and Birkirkara, which have four parishes each.
The Village Feast With nearly 60 festas in Malta on the annual calendar (mostly during the summer months) and nearly 20 festa events on the smaller sister island of Gozo, the Maltese festa, a religious celebration organized by the local parish, is a typical scene of the hot summer months on the island, and very much an iconic part of culture in Malta.
The Maltese festa, or village feast, pretty much follows a long‐established pattern, one that has been passed on from generation to generation, from century to century.
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Bands, processions, the ringing of church bells, firework displays and, in some instances, street parties are the focal point of these happy, religious celebrations. There is a certain amount of pride attached to them as well; rivalry between neighbouring villages is not exactly unknown, with one parish vying hard to outdo another parish in the lavishness of the celebrations. Street‐side stalls along the approaches of the church sell a motley assortment of cold, refreshing drinks, ice cream and food, including a sweet traditionally associated with the Maltese festa: the qubbajt. It is nougat, with sugar – lots of it, be warned – as its core ingredient, and almonds. They are available in very hard or soft versions.
Saint Ġorġ Preca
• Born ‐ 12th February 1880 – Valletta, Malta • Died – 26th July 1962 (aged 82) – Santa Venera, Malta • Honored in – Roman Catholic Church • Beatified – 9th May 2001 by Pope John Paul II • Canonized – 3rd June 2007, Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI • Feast – 9th May • Patron of Malta, Society of Christian Doctrine