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| New
Years Day |
January
1 |
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|
Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck |
February
10 |
| Feast
of St.Paul’s Shipwreck This feast commemorates the
shipwreck of St.Paul in Malta in 60 A.D. an event registered
in the Acts of the Apostles. |
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|
| Carnival |
February
20-24 |
| For
many years now Carnival in Malta has been re-established
as a season of general jollification. Today Carnival is
one of the main Cultural events in the Maltese Cultural
calendar. Carnival is organized prior to the Catholic period
of Lent which comes prior to the religious festivities of
Easter Sunday. The main activities are held in the streets
of the Maltese Capital Valletta and Floriana, but other
activities are held in various villages in Malta and in
Gozo. |
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|
|
St. Joseph's Day |
March
19 |
| St. Joseph Feast celebrated
at Rabat and Qala Gozo |
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|
| Good Friday |
March 25 |
This is a day of general mourning: cinemas, places of entertainment and offices are kept closed. Good Friday pageants are held at about 17.00hrs in 14 different towns and villages. During these pageants, a number of life-size statues depicting scenes from the passion and death of Jesus Christ are carried shoulder high in procession along the main streets of the particular locality. Men and women personifying Biblical characters from the Old and New Testament, dressed in period costumes, take part in the processions. |
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| Easter Sunday |
March 27 |
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| Freedom
Day (National Holiday) |
March
31 |
| A
commemorative ceremony is held at the War Memorial at Floriana.
During the afternoon, traditional regatta boat races are
held in Grand Harbour. |
| |
|
|
'Sette Giugno' (National Holiday)
|
June
7 |
| Commemorative
Ceremony at Palace Square, Valletta, in remembrance of the
incidents of the 7th June 1919. |
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|
|
Feast of St.Peter and St.Paul ('Imnarja') |
June
29 |
| Known
in Maltese as 'Mnarja'. This is a traditional folkloristic
event. The festivities open on the eve of Mnarja with open-air
folk-singing and a musical programme at Buskett Gardens
which continues up till the early hours of the 29th day
of June. Maltese dishes are served for the occasion with
fried rabbit being a tradional specialty of the evening.
On the 29th, activities at Buskett continue with band marches
and an agrarian exhibition. During the afternoon, traditional
horse races are held at Saqqajja Hill, Rabat. The word Mnarja
is derived from Luminarja (illumination), when Mdina, Malta’s
medieval capital, was illuminated by bonfires for the occasion. |
| |
|
| The
Assumption* |
August
15 |
| Festivities are celebrated
at Mqabba, Qrendi, Gudja, Ghaxaq, Attard, Mosta and Victoria
in Gozo. |
| |
|
| Feast of Our
Lady of Victories |
September
8 |
| Commemorative
ceremony in Valletta, to celebrate the lifting of the 1565
siege against the Turks, the capitulation of the French
in 1800, and the siege of the Axis powers in 1943. the traditional
colourful and keenly contested boat race or regatta, is
held at the Grand Harbour in the afternoon. Festivities
are also held at Senglea, Naxxar and Mellieha in Malta and
at Xaghra in Gozo. |
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|
|
Independence Day |
September
21 |
| Malta
attained its Independence in 1964. A full programme of activities
takes place in various localities. |
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|
|
Immaculate Conception |
December
8 |
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|
|
Republic Day |
December
13 |
| Malta
became a Republic in 1974 by resolution of the House of
Representatives. Celebrations, including horse races at
Marsa, are held to commemorate the event. |
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|
|
Christmas Day |
December
25 |
| Yuletide
in Malta is primarily the season for family parties. Young
boys and members of a lay Catholic organization participate
in the evening processions of December 24, with the statue
of Baby Jesus held in all towns and villages. The highlight
is the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass, during which a child
relates the story of the nativity. |
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|
| Banks
and shops do not open on public and national holidays.
Some shops, especially in tourist areas, will open as usual. |
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