Ta' Ġieżu church hits back at minister over burlesque outside its doors

Valletta's Ta' Ġieżu church has pushed back at claims made by the home affairs minister that a video featuring burlesque-style performances on its steps was a year old.

The minister insisted that the police had acted to stop such performances, but the church insisted that the performances "have never stopped."

The controversy erupted after Ta' Ġiezu on Sunday first complained about a development application for a bar and tables and chairs outside its historic church and then uploaded photos and videos showing a woman dancing provocatively in front of the church's main door.

In its objections to the bar, Ta' Ġiezu, which is run by the Franciscan friars, warned that the character of the area risked being "lost forever" if the proposal went ahead.

The clip showing the scantily dressed woman dancing on the stairs best known for the procession of Our Lady of Sorrows, quickly attracted online attention and condemnation.

Bedingfield then posted a Facebook statement saying the images "date back more than a year" and that the practice had ceased.

He called for honesty in any criticism and pointed out that the police had started issuing on-the-spot fines to those flouting the rules, including those relating to indecent dress.  

But Fr Roman Farrugia, provincial at Ta' Ġieżu, told Times of Malta excessive noise and a lack of accessibility were a daily occurrence.

He also pointed out that footage showing women dancing on the steps had been uploaded in March and April this year, as well as in 2024 and 2025, he said.

"We are talking about fining people, yet we allow this to keep happening," Fr Farrugia said.

In a statement issued on Monday, Ta' Ġieżu said "Doubts were cast on our integrity and honesty," with reference to the minister's reaction.

"These women's shows have never stopped. We do not stand outside waiting for women to undress, but neighbours tell us what is going on and send us videos."

Fr Farrugia, also pointed out that the church community had been complaining of a persistent lack of accessibility and an ongoing noise problem.

The police did intervene as recently as last Saturday because of excessive noise, he said, but this was an ongoing problem.

"The video was a fair reflection of the state of Valletta's streets, leaving vulnerable people unable to pray in peace," he said, citing that excessive noise was disturbing churchgoers. 

In a Facebook post on Monday, Ta' Ġieżu appealed to the public not to turn the matter into a political issue.

"We have always opened our doors to everyone and treated everyone with respect and goodwill," he said, adding that the community felt compelled to speak out because "doubts were cast on our integrity and honesty".

It also thanked "people of goodwill", including politicians, who had shown understanding and support in the hours since the issue erupted.

MEP urges police to act

Meanwhile MEP David Casa said on Monday that he had written to the police commissioner, calling for stronger policing to protect Valletta’s residents, heritage and places of worship

He said that the problems affecting Valletta have been building up over many years and require a sustained response.

“Residents have every right to expect that the laws enacted by Parliament are enforced consistently. For far too long, many have felt that parts of Valletta have been allowed to deteriorate, with unacceptable behaviour becoming increasingly normalised at the expense of residents, our heritage and the dignity of our capital,” he said.