Centuries-old procession in Zejtun

Archbishop Joseph Mercieca will today lead the traditional procession in Zejtun, popularly known as the procession of San Girgor, as a follow-up to Easter.

The procession will leave the church dedicated to St Clement at 9.30 a.m. and the litany of saints will be intoned. The celebration will continue in the parish church of Zejtun, followed by the singing of the antiphony of St Catherine. The Misericordia will be recited three times.

The procession will then proceed to the old church of Zejtun known as ta' San Girgor where a concelebration will be held.

According to the Curia, the procession of San Girgor was first held on March 12, the feast day of the saint, in the year 1543.

The procession, the brainchild of Bishop Domenico Cubellos from the Malta diocese, was meant to supplicate God for peace among the monarchs of Europe. Peace was required because the leader of the Church at that time, Pope Paul, wanted to organise an ecumenical council.

Tradition, however, has it that the procession was first observed in 1519 as a form of thanksgiving after the island was visited by the plague and managed to withstand it.