Ghaqda Armar tal-Festi (Village Feast Decorations Group)


One of the members with a "pavaljun"	One of the members working	The statue of "Malta Rebbieha"

As the village feast is over, the work and preparations of the Feast Decorations Group start again for the next year. The voluntary work of this group consists mainly in restoring, painting and re-painting, where necessary, the statues they set up for the feast in the Parish Square. The statues are mainly representing characters from the Holy Bible, such as King David; St Joseph and Our Lady, amongst all the others. Another statue which is quite important for the Maltese people is, without any doubt, that of the “Malta Rebbieha”, as it is known in Maltese. It shows a young lady, representing Malta, together with the Grand Master Jean Parisot de La Vallette, who was the Grand Master at the time of the Great Siege. This statue commemorates the Great Siege of 1565 in which the Maltese, together with the Knights of St John, beat the Ottoman Turks.

Another thing which needs a lot of time and work, but is a very beautiful result at the end, are the "pavaljuni", as they are known in Maltese. The "pavaljuni", which are usually set up in the streets where the procession passes, usually have painted on them a lot of very decorative artwork, together with Our Lady’s coat of arms and also, on every "pavaljun", two of the Grand Master’s coat of arms.

In the Parish Square, as well, some flag poles are also set up. Decorative flags are hoisted on these flag poles, which also have a very decorative base. These flags have the two colours of the present Maltese flag; the white and red.

As we already said, these decorative flags, together with the statue of the "Malta Rebbieha", commemorate the victory of the Maltese over the Ottoman Turks, which happened to be as well on the village feast’s day; the 8th September.

Many people from other villages in Malta come to this feast, with some of them coming only to visit the beautiful statues, "pavaljuni", and all the other decorations the Village Feast Decorations Group have made and set up with a lot of work and dedication during the whole year.

A "pavaljun" set up along the street.

You can contact Mr. Joseph Borg (responsible for the Village Feast Decorations Group) on Telephone (00356) 21521142 Mob: 9942 3552 - P.R.O. Jesmond Borg Telephone: 21522365

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