Easter traditions are still being kept alive in Maltese towns and villages, and while it seems that the Easter egg is taking the place of the figolla, other traditions are still going strong.

Among these is the morning procession with the statue of the Resurrected Christ, carried at a fast pace along parts of its course in some towns.

Senglea is one such parish where the 200-year-old statue is carried in a two-hour procession on the shoulders of 10 men.

David Caruana and Michael Mercieca were two of the men who bore the statue yesterday morning. While Mr Caruana has been taking part for the last four years, for Mr Mercieca yesterday was a first after quite some years.

"I used to carry the statue when I still lived in Senglea," Mr Mercieca, who has now moved to Marsascala, said. However, he added, he had carried statues during Good Friday processions.

Mr Mercieca said that carrying the statue on Good Friday was a sacrifice, but yesterday it was a celebration.

The commitment to the procession runs in the family, and his son Jonathan was yesterday holding a forcina (the forked pole which is used as a support for the statue during stops to give some respite to the bearers).

Mr Caruana also carries the statue because Easter is a big celebration, and he said "someone has to do it".

He also helps in the church and is a member of the feast committee. He said most of the statue bearers were actually helpers, and it was automatic for them to want to carry the statue that was so dear to them.

Alfred Barbara, who also helps out at Senglea parish church, explained that the 200-year-old statue, whose maker is unknown, survived the world war because like many other precious items from the Three Cities, it was taken to Birkirkara for safekeeping. Their church, he said, had been bombed down in the war.

Mr Barbara said the statue was partly made of papier mâché and gold plated.

The traditional run with the statue had stopped some decades ago. During one of the runs, it is said, the statue passed near a stone statue of the Madonna and the latter was hit with the arm of the statue of the Resurrection. The story goes that the bishop ordered the running to stop, but this resumed a few years later.

Mr Barbara explained that the statue bearers were not the ones who ran with the statue, and it was not planned beforehand who would do the running. He explained that this was organised on the spur of the moment.

The statue is taken out of the church at 10 a.m, just after Mass, to be welcomed by applause from the crowd gathered on the parvis and with the ringing of bells.

Followed by the band, the statue was carried around the streets of Senglea, while people walked with it, and others, mainly children, showered paper confetti from the balconies.

It was obvious that most of the residents were waiting for the parts where parishioners take over from the people who were carrying the statue to run with it. The street suddenly emptied, while people crowded the footpaths, and cheered the runners on.

Another tradition, which children look forward to, is the blessing of the figolla, which seems to be giving way to Easter eggs. In fact, there were only a handful of children carrying figollas yesterday, the majority holding up colourfully wrapped eggs.

Parish priest Joe Grech said the blessing of the traditional Easter sweets had been taking place in Senglea for quite a number of years. He said this added to the idea of a celebration, and it was a symbolic gesture.

The blessing in Senglea takes place half-way along the procession, in front of St Philip's church. The statue was lifted up on two wooden bars, and a good number of children surrounded Fr Grech in front of the statue. There he said a prayer and blessed the sweets and the children.