Church draws the line on unruly band marches

The Church has proposed giving village festa enthusiasts three years to control outrageous behaviour during morning band marches otherwise it will strike the popular event off the list of celebrations.

Morning band marches have long been a source of concern for the Church, as well as the police, as they have been reduced to a drunken spectacle often leading to violence between opposing band clubs. The Church is putting the ball in the court of those who cherish this form of street celebration through a proposal made in a consultation document launched yesterday.

"Between 2010 and 2012 we will allow time for all those involved to control exaggeration, including the manner of dress, the songs and words that are chanted, the consumption of alcohol and the duration of the marches," the document reads.

"If, after these three years, we find that the band marches cannot be controlled or reformed, the Church has to decide to no longer consider them an integral part of the feast."

The document - which will be open for public consultation until November 30 - lists a range of proposals on the celebration of village feasts with the aim of restoring the religious and community aspects of the celebrations.

"The mission of the Church is to deliver the beauty of God's word. And that's what the role of feasts should be. There is a lot of tradition in our feasts, which is beautiful. However, through the years, we have forgotten they are there to celebrate a saint," Archbishop Paul Cremona said.

Mgr Anton Gouder, the Curia's general pro-vicar, stressed the consultative nature of the document adding that, so far, nothing was set in stone.

This will appease the many festa enthusiasts who may have feared the Church would immediately opt to remove morning band marches, the main source of trouble.

In an attempt to address other troubling habits, the Church proposed that the lyrics of songs chanted during the march should be scripted and approved to ensure they were not aimed at insulting others or instigating fights.

The document also proposes all feasts be celebrated over eight days during which there should be no outdoor activities within the limits of the parish, except for those organised by the Church authorities.

Decorations popularly known as sorpriżi (surprises) should be banned as they have only served to instil rivalry. Only flags and balloons should be used during band marches and no water may be thrown, the document recommends.

Morning band marches should not be longer than four hours and should not pass in front of rival clubs. Where this was unavoidable the march may pass without stopping, for whatever reason.

No band marches may take place while Church celebrations are in progress.

Those responsible for the band marches should ensure no one was bare-chested.

Statues should, as a rule, not be carried during band marches, except where this was a tradition and the parish priest approves.

Turning to fireworks, the document says there should be prudence and the law must be followed in all its aspects.

"It is the common view that there should be progress on the (fireworks) regulations.

"The Church authorities, as the organisers of the religious feasts, are prepared to cooperate with the civil authorities for this purpose," the document says.

The full document can be viewed on maltadiocese.org.

Comments may be mailed on festi@maltadiocese.org or to the Curia at PO Box 29, Valletta.

Additional proposals

• During the celebrations inside the Church, emphasis must be placed on encouraging the participation of the congregation.

• The statue remains a symbol of the saint who is being revered and not adored in a pagan-like manner.

• Church decorations and damask must be controlled to ensure they are not used to generate pique between rival band clubs.

• An inventory of feast decorations ought to be drawn up in each parish. Up to 2012 no further decorations should be added except where they have already been ordered or have to be replaced. No further additions will be allowed from 2013.

• Processions should take no longer than three hours, ending by 10.30 p.m.

• During processions statues should not be turned to face any buildings other than the Church and particular residences such as old people's homes and monasteries.

• The statue must be returned to the niche privately and not later than two days after the feast day.

• The pealing of bells has to be done in moderation with no bells ringing between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. and between 1 and 4 p.m.

• Each parish can celebrate up to two special anniversaries: one to mark the day it was set up and another occasion of choice. Anniversaries are to be marked every 25 years for the first 100 years, after which the celebrations should take place every 50 years.

• A board will be set up to investigate any breach of the proposed regulations.