On Saturday, 19 March a pageant was held in Tarxien. The pageant was an excellent show of organisation and an excellent show of costumes.

However, it was also, sadly, an excellent show of barbarism and therefore marked by a severe lack of any sort of Christian spirit which, given that it was Holy Week, should have been the central spirit.

During the pageant, the actor playing the part of Jesus Christ was whipped. By the end of the rather long procession, his back was one red sore of pain. This act of “violence” to commemorate the death of our Lord reminds me of what happens in the Philippines, where people crucify themselves. Just as I consider what happens in the Philippines as lacking any sort of true Christian spirit, similarly I consider this an act of violence.

The organisers of the Tarxien pageant should indeed be controlled by the Church authorities. Such acts should not be allowed to happen, especially out in the street where children can see it all.

Is the parish priest of Tarxien aware of what is happening? If he is aware, why is he permitting this to happen in his parish without even saying a word about it?

Angelo Micallef

Marsaxlokk