Celebrating San Guzepp

As Malta is largely Roman Catholic, most of its traditional feasts celebrate Saints or events from the Holy Bible. Religious feasts or ‘festas’ are an important part of Maltese culture and tradition held throughout the year across

March 19th is celebrated as the Feast of Saint Joseph in other lands too, such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, and Canada. It is mostly kept as a special date by Roman Catholics, but some Lutherans and Anglicans keep the feast as well.

Joseph was the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster father of Jesus. The Feast of Saint Joseph has been observed as a day of special remembrance since the 10th Century A.D., and thus, the traditions involved run very deep. The feast of St Joseph “San Ġużepp” which is also a public holiday in the Maltese islands, always occurs during Lent, and therefore, feasting tables are meatless, except for fish, though certainly not “impoverished” as to flavour.

In Malta, the main celebrations are held in Mdina, the old capital of Malta.

 

This year, sanitary circumstances will not allow us to rediscover this popular fervor that always amazes visitors. No doubt, that this beautiful Maltese tradition that helps to give the islands of Malta this special flavor, will be all the more beautiful once this Covid-19 pandemic is under control!