Ship of Fools: Easter In Malta

Thread: Easter In Malta Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Intrepid Thurifer (# 77) on :

I have just returned from Malta where I spent Easter. They have tradition of visiting seven altars of repose after the mass on Holy Thursday and the churches are packed. Is this custom done anywhere else in the world. They also fly the flag at half mast on all their buildings on Good Friday.

Posted by Adam. (# 4991) on :

I'm certainly aware of the custom, but I don't know how common it is to do it. I spent a couple of hours at our altar of repose, and we had a group of half a dozen or so young-ish people (early 20s) come in about 10pm, stay for 5 minutes or so to pray and then leave. I assume that's what they were doing.

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

I like the idea of flying the flag at half mast on Good Friday. Even if civic buildings didn't want to do it, the churches could. This year, it seemed as if Good Friday was just any other day. If the shops were closed, it was on Easter Monday rather than the Friday.

Posted by Forthview (# 12376) on :

The visiting of 7 Altars of Repose goes back to the time when ,in the Roman rite,the Mass of Maundy Thursday was held in the morning.
This would be before the mid 1950s.
During the rest of the day people would visit other Altars. Why a tradition of 7 I do not know.

The tradition has died out in many countries since the Maundy Thursday Mass is held in the evening.
It is still common in Italy and other Southern European countries where people are regularly out
walking in the evening and where there are a good number of churches in close proximity.

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