Although not Maltese in the contemporary sense, St. Publius is widely considered the first indigenous Maltese person to be recognised as a saint by the Catholic Church. As has been the case for the past century and a half, the feast of Saint Publius falls a fortnight after Easter Sunday; this year, the feast will be celebrated on Sunday, 19th April.
The Feast
The feast of Saint Publius is considered the one that officially opens the festa season in Malta. One may draw a parallel between this and the fact that it was through Saint Publius’ welcoming of Saint Paul that Malta entered the millennial era of Christianity, which remains with us to this day. With the exception of this year, due to circumstances coinciding with the feast period, it normally begins on the Sunday when the statue is taken out of its niche, accompanied by the Viaticum procession and the Vilhena Band, during which Holy Communion is distributed to the sick.
The following day, after the statue is brought out amid many devotees, the children’s feast of Saint Publius takes place. This is considered the first of its kind within a Maltese festa and dates back to the first half of the last century. During the feast week, the Triduum is held from Wednesday to Friday, including sermons, the hymn of verses, and the singing of the antiphon by the Cappella Bugeja. On Thursday, a band march is held by the Vilhena Band, along with celebrations in front of the Society’s premises. On Friday, the popular “Balzunetta march” takes place, featuring a demonstration statue. This statue was created because, until the 1960s, the main statue of Saint Publius did not reach Balzunetta.
On the eve of the feast, the translation of the saint’s relic takes place, followed by Vespers and Mass led by the Auxiliary Bishop. Afterwards, a musical concert is performed by the Vilhena Band on the church parvis, concluding with ground fireworks. On the morning of the feast day, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Malta is welcomed and leads a pontifical Mass animated by the Cappella Bugeja. This is followed by a traditional reception at the Vilhena Band club in the presence of the Archbishop and the President of the Republic.
In the afternoon, the “marċ tas-siegħa” fills the streets of Floriana with joy, while people throw toys of all kinds from their balconies. In the evening, there is Mass and Vespers, followed by the procession with the relic and the majestic statue of Saint Publius, sculpted by Vincenzo Dimech. At the end of the procession, the statue returns triumphantly to the church to the sound and singing of the antiphon, composed by Maestro Vincenzo Bugeja, in what is perhaps the most emotional and spectacular moment of the feast.
Saint Publius for the Floriana Community
For the people of Floriana, Saint Publius is more than a saint—he is a personified identity. Many Floriana residents who no longer live in the town return during the feast week not only to celebrate but also to relive childhood memories. One may say that Saint Publius renews the identity of the Floriana people each year and strengthens their ties to the town.
From an identity perspective, complemented by Dimech’s brilliant artistic technique, the statue of Saint Publius serves as a reference point for Floriana identity, seemingly encapsulating the town’s entire history—from the sorrowful wartime years, to the struggle to become an independent parish, to those intimate personal moments that formed a bond with Floriana in the hearts of those raised there. One might simply say that when looking into the eyes of the statue of Saint Publius, one is not merely gazing at inanimate eyes, but at the eyes of all the ancestors who came before us and left their mark upon us—some we remember among us, others through memory alone.
Saint Publius for Malta
On a national level, Saint Publius is seen as the personification of a people. It was this people who welcomed Saint Paul—not merely as a castaway, but as one who carried the Word of God. When Paul baptised Publius, who was the “Protos” (meaning “the chief”) of the island, Malta itself was baptised with him. It is upon this baptism, willingly accepted by Publius, that the Christian tradition and creed of our country were built.
But what have we done with our baptism? In the civil sphere, of which Publius was part in his time, much has been dismantled that once safeguarded the moral well-being of the nation. In the ecclesiastical sphere, where Publius was also prominent as the first Bishop of Malta, we seem to prefer following worldly trends rather than the doctrine of Christ. Publius accepted Christ as the leader of the island and died for Him as a bishop. The hope that Malta may return to its Christian roots lies in the imitation of this Maltese saint and his intercession.
