Unlike most villages across the island, Lija, which today celebrates the Transfiguration of Our Lord, always holds its parish feast on the same date rather than the closest Sunday. Photo: Chris Sant FournierUnlike most villages across the island, Lija, which today celebrates the Transfiguration of Our Lord, always holds its parish feast on the same date rather than the closest Sunday. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

As the church clock chimes the early hours on Sunday morning, some 20 young men give the finishing touches to ground fireworks, just hours before they illuminate Lija in explosions of colourful sparks.

The structures will be set up in the square off the Lija tower, but Salvu Sciberras, now 80, remembers a time when the square was just fields. Back then the fireworks were set off right in front of the parish church dedicated to the Transfiguration of our Lord.

“Up until the Second World War, they used to shoot maskli – like metal bottles filled with gunpowder – from the church parvis during the Triduum blessings,” the former sacristan says, sitting on a bench in the main square reminiscing about the village feast of 70 years ago.

Lija streets are dressed up in colourful valances and lined with statues in preparation for the parish’s celebration of Is-Salvatur. Photo: Chris Sant FournierLija streets are dressed up in colourful valances and lined with statues in preparation for the parish’s celebration of Is-Salvatur. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

“Proud” of his name, synonymous with the village’s patron, Mr Sciberras has always looked forward to the parish feast, despite weeks of hard preparatory work.

“We start dusting the church some five weeks before the feast and put up decorations from mid-July,” he says, resting his gaze on the church’s façade.

Salvu Sciberras believes Lija’s unique  feature is the lack of rivalry between clubs during the village feast.  Photo: Matthew MirabelliSalvu Sciberras believes Lija’s unique feature is the lack of rivalry between clubs during the village feast. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

On each side of the front door are wooden panels that have decorated the façade during the feast since 1932 – the year Mr Sciberras was born.

He started helping out at the church when he was just nine years old and took over as sacristan from his cousin Anthony Cutajar when he was 14.

Even though he retired nearly 20 years ago, and is today taking care of the Lija cemetery, he still lends a hand throughout the year.

The wooden church façade is one of the feast’s unique features, just like the two “tree-like chandeliers” on each side, known as parandi. These are probably the largest in Malta.

Mr Scibberas says these parandi were originally oil lamps, and once, on the eve of the feast, it rained so hard that the “chandeliers” had to be dismantled.

Another heavy downpour in 1953 draped the village in gloom because the celebrations, which are always held on August 6, had to be postponed to the following Sunday.

It takes 10 people to carry the 150-year-old Transfiguration of our Lord statue, which weighs 800 kilos. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli. Right: The papier-mâché statue, seen here in 1940, was made by Karlu Darmanin. Photo: San Pio X band club archives.It takes 10 people to carry the 150-year-old Transfiguration of our Lord statue, which weighs 800 kilos. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli. Right: The papier-mâché statue, seen here in 1940, was made by Karlu Darmanin. Photo: San Pio X band club archives.

“The march held that year will always be remembered as the ‘umbrella march’, because the place was covered in umbrellas,” he smiles.

Apart from that occasion, and a couple more times at the start of the 1990s (when weekday feasts were abolished and had to be held on a Sunday), the village has never missed celebrating the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord on August 6.

The ground fireworks display held on the eve of the feast used to be set up right in front of the parish church. Photo: Chris Sant FournierThe ground fireworks display held on the eve of the feast used to be set up right in front of the parish church. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

“Even during the Second World War we still held the procession,” Mr Sciberras explains, adding some 50 people used to sleep in the church “just in case we were attacked during the night”.

“The feast has always brought all villagers together, despite the various clubs – including the St Pio X band club, St Andrew Social Club, Lija Athletics Football Club, St Michael’s fireworks factory and the External Feasts Committee.

“There’s no rivalry, and everyone does his bit.”

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