The Archbishop, Mgr Paul Cremona, OP, will today lead the traditional procession held after Easter and known as Ta’ San Girgor, in Zejtun. It starts at 9.30am from the small church dedicated to St Clement, proceeds to Zejtun parish church where there will be singing, and then to the old Zejtun church, where there will be a concelebration. This church is dedicated to St Catherine but is known as ta’ San Girgor because of the post-Easter Wednesday procession.

The San Girgor procession was first held on 12 March, 1543, feast of San Girgor, at a time when the Catholic Church in Europe was in crisis. Pope Paul III wanted to convene an ecumenical council for a reform of the Church, but was unable to because of disputes between the Christian rulers.

Bishop Domenico Cubelles of the Maltese diocese, in the hope that universal peace and unity would be achieved among the rulers, wanted to hold a procession from the Cathedral church in Mdina to the old church at Zejtun.

In time the procession became established in Maltese religious customs. Its original aim was, in time, forgotten and gave rise to various views, including that the procession was first held in 1519, after the plague that ravaged Malta.