This was still an increase of 2.7 per cent over the year 2000, when the total number of participants was 6,528. There were no Good Friday processions in 2002 because of bad weather.

Of the 6,702 participants in 2003, 4.1 per cent were involved in the organising groups, 84.1 per cent actively participated in the processions and 11.8 per cent were classified as “other participants”. Religious individuals who took part in 2003 constituted 2.2 per cent of all participants.

Between 2000 and 2003, female participation increased by 4.6 per cent, from 608 to 636. In 2000, women made up 9.3 per cent of total participants – a figure increased marginally to 9.5 per cent in 2003.

The year 2003 also saw the participation of a small number of female religious people for the first time.

Good Friday expenditure fell by six per cent, from Lm26,249 in 2001 to Lm24,686 in 2003. Expenditure on maintenance claimed the lion’s share in 2003, accounting for 28.8 per cent of the total. This was followed by expenditure on outdoor activities, and for flower arrangements and lighting, at 17.9 and 12.2 per cent respectively.

In the year under review, income fell by eight per cent, from Lm17.733 in 2001 to Lm16,324, mainly due to a fall of 35 per cent in “other income”.

The majority of income – just over 40 per cent – came from donations for Good Friday ceremonies, followed by proceeds collected from Good Friday participants at 28.8 per cent.

Good Friday celebrations recorded a total loss of Lm8,362.