Massacre of olive trees

At this time of year in Malta, that is during Holy Week, we experience the yearly massacre of olive trees for the sake of so-called tradition.

It is a tradition that on Palm Sunday, the Catholic Church celebrates with the blessing of olive branches, which are then distributed among parishioners. This celebration is done in every parish in Malta and Gozo. Of course, some of these branches are also stored and the following year they are burnt for the other traditional laying of ashes on Ash Wednesday.

Moreover, and more grave, is the yearly massacre of olive trees when large branches and sometimes almost whole trees are cut down for use on the statue dedicated to Jesus praying at Gethsemane olive grove. This statue is carried during the Passion processions on Good Friday in some 12 parishes in Malta and Gozo. An olive tree takes a number of years to grow to the thickness that one sees during these processions.

Can Malta afford to lose this many olive trees every year?

If anyone needs to see the disastrous effect of all this, one can go for a walk among the olive grove that was planted some 40 years ago at Has-Saptan valley.

I cannot understand how the massacre of all these olive trees has been allowed to continue without even the least mention by anyone, but especially by the highest authorities principally, the Church and the government, and also environmental organisations such as Men of the Trees.

For the sake of protecting our olive groves and our environment, and at the same time follow our traditions, I would suggest that artificial olive trees and branches be procured, just like the artificial flowers currently available.

As for the blessing of olive branches and their burning, perhaps we can afford to yearly remove some small branches but this should be done with care for the olive trees and the cutting done by authorised growers. In this way we would still keep the more religious part of our traditions with the minimum of damage to our olive trees.