Michael Testa looks into the steps taken by the Church to prevent feast celebrations getting out of hand. Sanctions have been introduced aimed at educating "the typical Maltese mind and psyche to seek cooperation instead of competition and showmanship".
When the civil authorities decided that the parish priest was no longer responsible for outdoor feast celebrations, these tended to become larger and more elaborate. The number of band marches increased, fireworks were let off on more than one day and the festa period was extended to a whole week or more, without any consultation with the Church authorities.
Fr Anton Portelli, former delegate of the Archbishop for parishes, said the outdoor celebrations assumed immense proportions while Church-related festivities remained subdued as before and the distinction and differences between the celebration of the titular and secondary feasts remained.
Parish priests were at a loss as to how to exercise a moderating influence on the very complex festa celebration which involves so many people and organisations. More often than not these try to outdo the others in terms of expense, extravagance and ingenuity.
Fr Portelli said such organisations raised and spent thousands of liri on fireworks, street decorations and band marches with their accompanying paraphernalia.
Pique also comes to the fore in such situations, not only where two feasts or two band clubs are present but also where different groups of people organise particular activities in the programme of celebrations. At times, open disagreement and splits occur within such groups.
Concerned with a situation wherein things seemed to be getting out of hand, the Maltese bishops and the parish priests decided that if parish feasts were to have a religious raison d'etre, some measures had to be taken.
The Band Clubs' Association was roped in and discussion started, highlighting the basic feeling that parish feasts should not be allowed to lose their religious origins and identity.
The first step was an educational campaign aimed at reminding the community of what it entails to ensure that feasts are celebrated in a truly Christian spirit.
Then, a set of rules was drafted and agreed upon. These rules are never final because new situations need new ideas and remedies and so the process is ongoing.
"The Church can only exert moral authority and finally cancel feasts if they are likely to degenerate into parochial divisions, bad behaviour and sporadic fights. "Given the importance of feasts in the Maltese social fabric and culture, the cancellation of feasts is never an easy or fast decision to make.
"The renewed celebration is tied to an agreement between the parties concerned that sets out points of behaviour or timing to be observed, in the belief that these would result in a Christian feast celebration, within the difficult process of self- regulation."
It is basically a matter of educating the typical Maltese mind and psyche to seek cooperation and sharing instead of competition and showmanship, according to Fr Portelli.
Many Maltese still flock to feasts to socialise and to admire the Church and street decorations, with all the effort and hard work each feast requires. On the other hand, excessive drinking, insulting other people, picking fights and proclaiming superiority over others are tarnishing the very essence of a parish festa: the celebration and commemoration of a particular saint's holy qualities.
The Church continues to hope that, with the cooperation of all involved, society would be able to purify all religious feasts from all those things that diminish their Christian nature and purpose.
Church rules ensure feasts fulfil spiritual and pastoral aim
The Curia last October released a set of amended rules governing the organisation of external celebrations of town and village feasts.
Feasts can last up to eight days including the day of the feast.
During these eight days, there can be no discos in public places in the limits of the parish, or street parties, festivals or other activities that are not organised by the Church.
The period allowed for the feast will either be from the moment the titular statue is brought out of its niche until the feast day proper or eight days before the feast day.
No entity or individual shall present requests for new external activities, not even if there is agreement among the parties concerned.
Band programmes and marches can only take place during the eight days allocated for the feast in collaboration between the parish and the associations that participate in the feast.
A march on the occasion of the exit of the statue from the niche or in commemoration of the Coronation can only take place if it is considered of pastoral value.
No marches or other programmes in connection with the feasts of saints should be added to those that used to take place regularly since 1995 and still take place.
Marches, hymns and any songs which contain objectionable singing or are depreciative to other parties are prohibited. A copy of the lyrics accompanying the music that are to be recorded should be submitted to the ecclesiastical authorities for their approval not later than three months before the feast and before they are recorded.
Since the aim of statues depicting saints is for worship, these should not be carried during the march and it would be better if they are immediately placed on the pedestal.
Where until today there is a custom permitted by the ecclesiastical authorities that statues are carried during marches and where, in the opinion of the parish priest, on the advice of the pastoral parish council and the committees of the clubs involved, it would not be commendable to stop this custom, then the statues can still be carried during marches. This must take place with due respect to the image of the saint.
If in the opinion of the ecclesiastical authorities, such respect is not observed, the Church authorities will not allow the statue to be carried during the march in the following year.
Marches should not take place when the main liturgical functions of the feast are in progress. Bands should not play in the vicinity of the church during this time.
The main march cannot be longer than four hours.
A band which accompanies the statue in the procession on the feast day should only play religious hymns or marches that are suitable for the occasion.
The violation of one of these regulations, or the creation of an improper environment for the celebration of feasts in a Christian way, can lead to the cancellation of the religious feast in whole or in part.
When these regulations are violated sanctions will be applicable as from the forthcoming feast or feasts.
Clubs violating Curia directives designed to ensure more Christian celebration of feasts will be liable to sanctions.
The regulations were originally issued with a decree by Archbishop Joseph Mercieca on December 23, 2003 and came into effect on January 1 the following year.
The ecclesiastical authorities had set up a board to investigate allegations of violations of these regulations. This board is composed of two representatives of the ecclesiastical authorities and two representatives of the Band Clubs' Association.
When an investigation is held, the board submits a report on its findings to the church authorities for their judgment.
The main role band clubs play
Joseph L.Vella, secretary of the Band Clubs' Association, does not agree that alcohol and politics play a part in the rivalry that leads to trouble during town and village feasts.
Some clubs originated during the first part of this century because people harbouring different political ideas could not stay in a club together. Nowadays, however, the cultural situation has changed. Politics has lost ground in band clubs, he believes.
"Although rivalry can keep the charcoal burning, places where there is one band club still make the effort to organise a nice feast. No one wants to have an inferior feast," he insists.
Mr Vella firmly believes that healthy rivalry is a positive factor when it comes to organising a good feast and that often those who cause trouble are people from other villages.
They go from village to village with the purpose of creating trouble. "Very often these individuals throw the first bottles to spark trouble and then run away," he said as he questioned whether responsibility for this behaviour should lay with the band club or the police.
Apart form such trouble-makers coming from other villages, Mr Vella says there is another category - the hot heads who are "supporters" of a feast but who never set foot in a band club and are not interested in the work done by a small group of people who toil all year to improve the club's premises and raise money to finance the feast.
However, considering that in Malta and Gozo more than 70 feasts are celebrated each year, the number of incidents are very small and were usually noticed only because they were reported by the press and inflated, Mr Vella said.
He said that initially the measures to control excesses during village feasts caused problems in many localities. It was not easy for many clubs to reduce the time of "the grand march" from eight, seven or six hours to four, considering that many contributors were accustomed to seeing this march passing under their balconies.
He said some of the regulations to ensure a more Christian atmosphere during feasts were mitigated as a result of the discussions between Curia representatives and officials of the Band Clubs' Association.
Mr Vella also referred to the discussions that were held within the association when the Church introduced the regulations. "The discussion was very animated and many expressed their regret at the sudden change in policy relating to feasts. Our members were afraid that their supporters would not accept those rules. But due to goodwill, leadership and initiative, the rules were applied," he said.
The majority of clubs abide by the Church regulations, he said, adding that when scuffles occur they are usually a result of old rivalries that are a part of our culture.
"This aspect of this culture was discussed with Curia representatives. We were aware that it was not easy to stop this tradition of rivalry going back a century abruptly," he said.
Mr Vella said band club committees, as a rule, had always kept their eyes peeled to detect signs of trouble and do their best to avoid it. And in order to encourage a friendly atmosphere many band clubs throw a party for their members and sponsors in the days preceding the feast.
He also touched on the role of the Band Clubs' Association within the board that was set up by the ecclesiastical authorities to investigate allegations of violations of regulations governing feasts. This is made up of two representatives of the ecclesiastical authorities and two representatives of the association.
The two representatives of the association on this board make sure that all facts related to a disturbance are collected.
This work is carried out by a coordinator, appointed by the Archbishop. The final decision on sanctions to be imposed in localities where incidents are reported during the feast is always taken by the Curia.
Mr Vella said that one very sad aspect about band clubs is that they are associated only with feasts. Very few people talk about the number of music teachers employed by band clubs. Few realise that on certain Sundays there are eight localities celebrating their feasts with at least 20 bands playing each having 60 or so bandsmen and that all of them learned to play music in band clubs.
"Band clubs are the main source of musical activities during the winter months. Concerts given at Sir Temi Zammit Hall, the Catholic Institute and the annual concert organised by this association at the Manoel Theatre are all band clubs' contributions. Entrance to these concerts is always free," Mr Vella said proudly.
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Competition not pique
Mosta is a prime example of how two rival band clubs can work together.
As they prepare for the traditional feast of Santa Marija on August 15, they are inspired by the motto Competition Not Pique.
In fact, two weeks before the feast is celebrated the Nicolo Isouard Band Club holds its annual concert and invites all the clubs in the locality involved in the organisation of the feast. These include the Santa Marija Band Club and the two fireworks clubs. During the concert, club leaders deliver a message auguring a happy feast to everyone, Nicolo Isouard Band Club president Nazzareno Vassallo explained.
Another welcome initiative to encourage supporters of different clubs to vent their rivalry in a constructive way instead of unbridled pique is that launched last year by the Nicolo Isouard band.
Club members and members of other clubs in the locality were encouraged to donate blood on the occasion of the feast of Santa Marija. This activity is organised in close collaboration with the Sovereign Military Order of St John, which runs the blood bank at St Philip's Hospital.
A mobile blood donation unit was sent to Mosta on the days preceding the feast in order to receive blood and a spokesman for the organisers said the number of donors this year was higher than last year's.
Village feasts suspended since 1999
1999: Christ the King, Paola.
2000: Our Lady of Lourdes, San Gwann.
2001: Christ the King, Paola; Holy Trinity, Marsa.
2004: Holy Trinity, Marsa.
2005: St Joseph, Ghaxaq; Santa Marija, Ghaxaq; Our Lady of Graces, Zabbar.
Read all about it
The accusation often directed at the media is that they blow incidents out of proportion.
But the media reports facts and happenings. The difference may be in the prominence given to and style in which the event is reported.
A fracas which ruins a town or village feast through fighting, foul language and bottle throwing in the presence of both locals and tourists is certainly something that ought to be reported by the media.
The fact remains that a town or village feast, so painstakingly organised by various hardworking volunteers, can turn into an orgy of violence because of a few hotheads, instead of being an event which unites the locality in a religious spirit.
People who are not involved in festa rivalry but enjoy traditional feasts, consider it absurd that supporters of rival clubs get to the point where they throw bottles, swear and fight - ruining other peoples' pleasure. And this just to "prove" that their saint is superior to the one venerated by the rival club.
Some supporters seem to want to organise the feast without any control from the Church authorities, taking initiatives which if allowed would contribute to more rivalry and unrest.