The annual traditional processions marked Good Friday across several localities in Malta and Gozo on Friday.
In Paola, crowds lined the Christ the King Parish Church parvis and extended into the streets as people dressed as several Biblical characters and Roman soldiers walked through to sombre tunes.
Life-size statues – 10 in total – depicting the Passion of Jesus Christ, starting from when the Angel Gabriel came to Jesus in the olive grove and ending with Jesus’ crucifixion and the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows beneath the empty cross, were carried into the streets.
Girl Guides and Scouts accompanied parts of the procession – which was started by a Roman Centurion banging on the door of the church – while the Soċjeta Filarmonika GM Fra. Antoine De Paule – Banda Kristu Re AD 1898 played a number of funeral marches amidst the sounds of the wooden clapper – known in Maltese as the ċuqlajta.
Each costume stood out, with vibrant colours and incredible attention to detail throughout. The costumes are a long-held tradition: they are usually handmade by the participants themselves and in some cases passed down through the generations.
Friday’s weather was perfect for the outdoor event, with sunshine and blue skies dominating the late afternoon.