Malta's Culture

The island of Malta is a living proof of 6,000 years of civilization and development. The legacy of various faiths who see the islands all governed through the centuries and feel. Every tourist who comes to Malta, through cultural heritage that this relatively small island to protect all of us try to be surprised.

rich cultural heritage of Malta refers mainly to its history of foreign domination and power and influence of the Catholic ChurchChurch.

Folk traditions have evolved mainly around the village feast, commemorating the patron saint of each city and village in Malta with air and land fireworks and processions. Good Friday also is celebrated with colorful processions in quite a a small amount of villages. Imnarja, the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, which takes place on June 29, is the most important folk celebration; it is decorated by folksinging (ghana) contests and fried-rabbit picnics at the picturesque area of Buskett.

Most tourists will definitely visit the annual Carnival festival. It is celebrated at the capital city of Valletta with energetic dancing shows that include a sword dance commemorating the Maltese victory over the Turks in 1565, and other Maltese national dance.

The following list of national and public holidays shows that the Maltese have a lot to remember and they are proud of their glorious past:

National holidays:

31 March - Freedom Day A commemorative ceremony is held at the War Memorial at Floriana. During the afternoon, traditional regatta boat races are held in Grand Harbour.

7 June - Sette Giugno Commemorative Ceremony at Palace Square, Valletta, in remembrance of the incidents of the 7th June 1919.

8 September - Victory Day Commemorative ceremony in Valletta, to celebrate the lifting of the 1565 siege against the Turks, the capitulation of the French in 1800, and the siege of the Axis powers in 1943. the traditional colourful and keenly contested boat race or regatta, is held at the Grand Harbour in the afternoon. Festivities are also held at Senglea, Naxxar and Mellieha in Malta and at Xaghra in Gozo.

21 September - Independence Day Malta attained its Independence in 1964. A full programme of activities takes place in various localities.

13 December - Republic Day Malta became a Republic in 1974 by resolution of the House of Representatives. Celebrations, including horse races at Marsa, are held to commemorate the event.

Public holidays:

1 January - New Year's Day

10 February - Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck- This feast commemorates the shipwreck of St.Paul in Malta in 60 A.D. an event registered in the Acts of the Apostles.

19 March - Feast of St Joseph St. Joseph Feast celebrated at Rabat.

10 April - Good Friday This is a day of general mourning: cinemas, places of entertainment and offices are kept closed. Good Friday pageants are held at about 17.00hrs in 14 different towns and villages. During these pageants, a number of life-size statues depicting scenes from the passion and death of Jesus Christ are carried shoulder high in procession along the main streets of the particular locality. Men and women personifying Biblical characters from the Old and New Testament, dressed in period costumes, take part in the processions.

1 May - Worker's Day The feast of St. Joseph the Worker is also celebrated.

29 June - Feast of St Peter and St Paul Known in Maltese as 'Mnarja'. This is a traditional folkloristic event. The festivities open on the eve of Mnarja with open-air folk-singing and a musical programme at Buskett Gardens which continues up till the early hours of the 29th day of June. Maltese dishes are served for the occasion with fried rabbit being a traditional specialty of the evening. On the 29th, activities at Buskett continue with band marches and an agrarian exhibition. During the afternoon, traditional horse races are held at Saqqajja Hill, Rabat. The word Mnarja is derived from Luminarja (illumination), when Mdina, Malta?s medieval capital, was illuminated by bonfires for the occasion.

15 August - Feast of the Assumption Festivities are celebrated at Mqabba, Qrendi, Gudja, Ghaxaq, Attard, Mosta and Victoria in Gozo.

8 December - Feast of the Immaculate Conception

25 December - Christmas Day December in Malta is primarily the season for family parties. Young boys and members of a lay Catholic organisation participate in the evening processions of December 24, with the statue of Baby Jesus held in all towns and villages. The highlight is the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass, during which a child relates the story of the nativity.

Banks and shops do not open on public and national holidays.

Some shops, especially in tourist areas, will open as usual.