The President-designate is defending her six-hour swearing-in ceremony, insisting the event is a symbol of unity and a celebration of the people, not the person.
“I want this symbolic event to set the tone of this presidency – it will be a farewell to my 40 years in politics and a way to usher in the future,” Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said.
After the announcement on how the swearing-in will proceed on Friday critics commented on how Ms Coleiro Preca, who had publicly stated she was “not fond of ceremonies”, was opting for a service that dragged on for hours.
“I’m not asking anybody to suffer the entire six hours, I’ll be the one enduring it and I’m happy to do so because there’s a thought process behind every decision,” she told The Sunday Times of Malta.
I’m not asking anybody to suffer the entire six hours
“When I said I wasn’t fond of ceremonies I was referring to the rituals of the presidency, such as parades. This is a symbolic process, a celebration of the State and I want the people to own it.”
She insisted she was not breaking protocol by organising Mass in a makeshift tent at Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Siġġiewi, pointing out President George Abela introduced the tradition of holding Mass at Valletta’s St John’s Co-Cathedral.
“I chose Id-Dar tal-Providenza to give this home visibility. I want to use this occasion to encourage people to contribute,” she added.
Since due to protocol the ecclesiastical authorities do not allow collections on official occasions, Ms Coleiro Preca will set up a collection outside the tent for guests to make a donation as they enter.
The ceremony, being held on April 4, when the term of President George Abela comes to an end, has a number of firsts – the most important being that she will be the first President from government ranks to receive unanimous backing in Parliament.
The ceremony will start at 2pm by bidding farewell to her constituents in Luqa and after Mass passing through her hometown Qormi then continuing to presidential palace in Valletta.
Ms Coleiro Preca also defended her decision to visit Qormi to signal the message that she was there for all of Malta as a President.
Children, African youngsters and disabled people, among others,will participate in the Mass to celebrate the island’s diversity.
“I want people to own this celebration and promote the visibility of the most vulnerable in society.”