President to hold meetings on village feasts

Andrea Portelli

Apr 28th 2009, 20:06

Well Versed Mr. Abela!

I'm also fed up of all this nonsense between parishes.

"ghax ta san x ahjar min ta san y ghax hekk u hekk"

"u le x'qed tghid limqar il kazin taghna mhux mixtri"

bah what nonsense!

waste of time and money if you ask me (feasts)

martin Spiteri

Apr 28th 2009, 09:20

@Genovese

I would like to point out something at human nature and celebrations. You did not mention lija for example , who allthough they do not have internal rivalry (yet) they do compete with other neighbouring villages. Celebrating in style does not mean cutting of feasts. It means teaching. If anyone has any idea of human nature everything is like a feast. just take a glimpse at a football match, a general election. Suppressing a feast wont solve anything. Education does. Every corner of the world there is competition, even the catholic church itself competes with other religions when it declares how better it is than others, just listen to one homily in a particular parish. I disagree with insanity in feasts and unnecessary pique but only education can resolve the matter and not a show of ignorance from us here. If one disagrees with feasts in general it does not mean that everyone else is indulging in stupidity.

Marianna Galea Xuereb

Apr 28th 2009, 01:10

Dear President,

How about boycotting ALL feasts that include fireworks and also the fireworks festival at Valletta?
Fireworks are one of the greatest sources of air, water and noise pollution and the sooner they loose their popularity and “cultural value” masquerade the better. Doing away with fireworks would allow us natives as well as those who visit the Maltese Islands as tourists to enjoy healthier and quieter lives.

Ernest Vella

Apr 27th 2009, 22:08

Joe Genovese - try make the difference between pique and competition - you mention Zebbug - @ Zebbug is years and years that no problem happens for the Zebbugin knows how would that be of suffering for them not to see the Patron Saint in the city streets being taken into procession...I don't know what you know but at Zebbug, the two band clubs and also the band of St.Joseph (which no piqcue exist but competition, not on the Saints...for that would be ridiculous but on the club fireworks creativity, street decorations, marches etc celebrate one of the greatest feasts in Malta.

Ever came to Zebbug on first Sunday of June and see what the Zebbugin are....people proud of there Saint, there village history and there village famous people....next time think before you throw mud on others...Viva z-Zebbugin...is-Sindku jrid jikteb ha jikkonferma dak li ktibt jien. 10ks

Charles Sammut

Apr 27th 2009, 18:53

Your Grace, err..... I mean Excellency, are you sure that you have your priorities right?

If it were not for these petty piques, interest in village feasts would fast dwindle. It's not about religion but about being seen. For example, if floral bouquets were meant to embellish the statue's surroundings, they would not need "Partit XYZ" or "XYZ Co. Ltd" or "XYZ Family" emlazoned all over them.

Mark Galea

Apr 27th 2009, 12:35

Congratulate President on his initiative.
Suggest that known trouble makers during feasts are arrested on first offence or at leat held liable of what happens.
Also, a resposible person from rival club must be made accountable for behaviour in that club for the festa period, else club should be closed. That responsible person must be either responsible for all that happens or else hand out the real culprits that throw the stone and hide behind the scenes.

Joe genovese

Apr 26th 2009, 20:20

Well done dear President. That means you will not be going to feasts in Valletta, Sliema, Hamrun, St Julian's,Rabat, Paola, Qormi, Zebbug, Luqa, Mqabba, Qrendi, Zejtun, Kirkop, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Zurrieq, B'Bugia, Marsa, Mellieha, Balzan, B'Kara, Siggiewi, Zabbar, Birgu and Victoria Gozo. That will surely send some message!

victor vella

Apr 26th 2009, 20:19

The band clubs have hijacked the feasts but it is also true that it is the work of these clubs that make the feasts bigger, what I hate is that these so called clubs are nothing but war machines and are ready to disrupt the feast if they feel that the other club has a bigger and better programm.Also why dont the police enforce a rule that trouble makers are prohibeted from attending the village feast and if they do then they are arrested and held inside the police station for the duration of the feast.

A Abela

Apr 26th 2009, 19:29

F Farrugia - did you mention Qormi???

Omar Coleiro

Apr 26th 2009, 19:26

Its nice seeing you Mr. President going to Festas where there is no trouble pique and division. But i think and in my opinion you should go for all your invitations even if there is pique and traditional division which the clergy started from the beginning. I think Mr. President if there is division in the town or village and things are going wrong, there is the right time to try to be the Peoples President and narrow the divisions. I think you did not mean what you said, or you did not think before. You have not to choose which people you'll see but let the people choose you to see them.

Carmelo(Nenu)Aquilina

Apr 26th 2009, 19:24

Prosett Sur President, nawguralek kull success f'din l-inizjattiva nazzjonali!
Nixtieq nigbed l-attenzjoni lis-Sindki ta'Malta u Ghawdex u lill Kummissarju tal-Pulizija biex din is-sena ma nergghux naraw dawk l-extended bars tal-hwienet u tal-kazini ta' kull ghamla fit-toroq u fil-pjazzez fil-granet tal-festa!
Nahseb issa l-ligi inkisret bizzejjed! Hemm bzonn li x-xorb alkoholiku jigi mrazzan!
Dan in-negozzju illegali ta'xorb bla skrupliu quddiem ghajnejn kulhadd li qed jaghmel l-akbar hsara lill-festi taghna! Dan sgur ,mhux qed jorganizzawh u jaghmluh id-delettanti u l-organizzaturi tal-festi!
Irrid nghid li kien biss l-Arcipriet tas-Siggiewi Fr Albert Buhagiar li sentejn ilu nofs siegha qabel il-pucissjoni kien informa lill pulixija li jekk ma kienux ser jizgumbraw dawk il-bars li kienu armati barra t-triq, ma kienx ser johrog il-purcissjoni! Dak in-nhar il-pulizija malajr hadu passi u nehhewhom kollha! Sinjal li dawn kienu armati minghajr permess!

John Borg

Apr 26th 2009, 18:45

I'm glad to hear that the new president will also take an interest in speaking up against intolerance and racism. This nasty problem can never be dealt with properly if people feel that they can shamelessly express racist and xenophobic views.

F.Farrugia

Apr 26th 2009, 18:35

Not one town or village ons patron saint, but one parish one patron saint. There could be two or more parishes like Valletta, Sliema, Qormi, but no outward pique.

Joe Felice Pace

Apr 26th 2009, 18:31

Dr Abela is to be congratulated for boycotting feasts where pique and rivalry are rampant. Actually a meeting was held a few weeks ago when representatives of the Church, Police and Band Clubs were present. It was made clear by the Church that feast are principally a religious occasion, and only secondarily a civil manifestation. But what can be done on the matter when you get an important representative of bands clubs declaring on television: "what connection is there between the statue (of the saint) and the band march?" It boggles the mind!

Edwin Mifsud

Apr 26th 2009, 18:00

St. Publius and Publius the Roman governor were two different people. In 60 A.D. there was no such thing as saint or bishop. The concept had not yet been created.

The people on board St. Paul’s ship were wrecked, wrecked on our island and left the moment they could. At the time Malta was part of the Roman Empire and Paul had every right to come and settle here had he not been prisoner.

Most immigrants, who come to Malta today, are economic refugees from a different continent and because they have a different skin colour this does not mean that they have a right to anything.

Once again I beg, STOP confusing Religion with Economics.

Lorry Coleiro

Apr 26th 2009, 17:54

Since there was only the titular feast in the village there existed no piques & divisions between the inhabitants of the village, and for the matter of skin color this new president should be noted that since these unwanted ILLEGALS started coming in their thousands abusing our hospitality we were all conscious of our own origins as one nation and one people.
It's because of them our nation some day in the near will witness an ethnic division , Mr President!

Michael Seychell

Apr 26th 2009, 17:48

Thank God Mr Buttigieg is not entrusted to shepherd our Church.

Imagine those villages who celebrate the feast of two different Saints being asked to drop one of their patron Saints - or alternatively imagine our Bishop deciding which patron Saint the village should celebrate.

Furthermore there are instances where the village has one Patron Saint but two or more different Band Clubs. Is the church expected to decide also which band should be disbanded.

Michael Seychell

Pieta

Experience has thought me that those problems which seem to have a simple solution are most of the time the hardest nuts to crack.

Lawrence Calleja

Apr 26th 2009, 17:16

I hope that the President of Malta will hold early meetings with the Curia, Police and band Clubs to seriously discuss the pityful and pagan state that the majority of feasts are being celebrated particularly those of Hamrun and Victoria Gozo on the 15th August. All so called marci tal-brijju are to be cancelled and band clubs that pass from infront of their rival clubs is also to be ommitted from the programme. Let's hope that the new President will make all Maltese citizens proud of him by bringing these feasts in order without any irrelevant pique. These feasts have only caused harm to the tourism of Malta.

Charles J. Buttigieg

Apr 26th 2009, 17:11

The church can solve the problem of pique and division overnight if it wants to. One town one Patron Saint.