San Girgor feast rekindles debate on pilgrimage origins

The feast of San Girgor will be celebrated today with the highlights being a procession in Żejtun and the traditional San Girgor outing in Marsaxlokk.

Archbishop Paul Cremona will lead the procession, which starts at 9.30 a.m. from the small church dedicated to St Clement, situated close to Żejtun on the road linking Fgura with Żabbar.

The procession will proceed to the Żejtun parish church and then to the old church of Żejtun where a concelebration will take place. The old church is dedicated to St Catherine but is known as Ta' San Girgor because of the procession. Formerly the old parish church, it was built in 1436 on the site of an early chapel. A total of €146,751 (Lm63,000) were spent recently for its restoration and rehabilitation.

The San Girgor procession was held for the first time on March 12, 1543.

Traditionally held on the first Wednesday after Easter, the feast probably started off as a thanksgiving pilgrimage though some differ on its exact origins.

Some maintain the pilgrimage was held to thank the Lord for freeing Malta from the plague of 1519. Others believe it was a vow made after Malta emerged victorious against the Turks in the Great Siege of 1565. Others still insist it was a sign of thanksgiving for the Lord's protection during a heavy storm in 1343.

Another theory is that the pilgrimage began during the time of Bishop Domenico Cubelles who had initiated this ceremony to mark the feast of St Gregory.

In the past, the feast was considered an important event in the local calendar and there used to be a custom for new bridegrooms to take their spouses to this feast as part of the marriage agreement.

When the religious part of the feast is over, people go to Marsaxlokk for the traditional outing with some opting to open the swimming season.