Hundreds attend Zabbar pilgrimage

Hundreds of people kept to tradition and attended the Hadd in-Nies pilgrimage at Zabbar yesterday, led for the first time by Archbishop Paul Cremona.

The pilgrimage, which is held annually on the first Sunday of Lent, had seen a drop in participation in recent years but it seems to have picked up somewhat this year.

The Zabbar Scout Group and children carrying a banner with Archbishop Cremona's motto Hejju t-Triq ghall-Mulej led the way.

The Archbishop, carrying a cross and flanked by another two members of the clergy, led the pilgrims. He was followed by other members of the clergy, altar boys, a choir, the St Michael and Sta Maria Mater Gratie band clubs and the public.

Besides the hymns, the rosary and other prayers were recited as the pilgrimage snaked through the narrow and winding roads of Zabbar from a newly inaugurated pastoral centre at Bulebel Iz-Zghir to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Graces.

The Nazareth Pastoral Centre was in fact inaugurated by the Archbishop in the morning. On his arrival with parish priest Sebastian Caruana, he was greeted by the children attending the centre.

At noon, the Archbisop met the local clergy and at 3.45 p.m. the children in the hall of the centre.

According to Towns and Villages in Malta and Gozo by Charles Fiott, with the introduction of carnival, the aspect of repentance gathered strength.

Ash Wednesday became the day when people fulfilled their vows and pilgrimages from all over Malta went to Zabbar with offerings of thanksgings for graces received through Our Lady's intercession.

As Ash Wednesday became a regular working day for many people, pilgrimages started to take place the following Sunday.

Big crowds earned this day the name of Hadd in-Nies.

According to historian Carmel G. Bonavia, Hadd in-Nies was not held during the war. By the 1970s the event was celebrated with a religious historical pageant of 34 groups and floats tracing the history of this Marian devotion.

In later editions the floats represented the Mysteries of the Rosary concerning the Virgin Mary. Episodes from her life were depicted on even later occasions.

There were no floats during yesterday's pilgrimage.