Fewer bidders and less money was collected in Mgarr by those who wish to carry the statue during the Santa Marija procession today, totalling off at €5,000.

The traditional offering to carry the statue was held today at noon in Mgarr, and last year €11,500 was raised.

Only two groups bid this year, with last year's winners not taking part. Father Valentino Borg told the crowd that had amassed at the side of the Church that this tradition began in 1922, the same year the statue was brought to the church.

Each year, groups of people bid, or rather offer money, to carry the statue during the feast and this has become tradition in the locality.

“This offering shows the generosity of this village, with people having their hearts in their hands,” Father Borg told the crowd.

A coin toss decided who would make the first bid, and the spectacle began.

Mgarr has seen a rather controversial issue recently, with former Parish Priest Emmanuel Camilleri being removed from his position and replaced by Father Borg.

Leader of the winning group, Mario Mifsud, said that this change did not affect him, in fact he didn’t even realise that a change had occurred. He does not form part of any official group, but rather a group of like-minded citizens. He mentioned that this will be his tenth time that he will be carrying the statue.

Asked about the low amount of groups bidding, he argued that this wasn’t the first time this happened and mentioned a time when nobody bid, resulting in the previous year’s winners carrying the statue.

Victor Sammut, a member of the losing group, said that a main factor in his group entering this year’s offering bid was due to the low number of participants. Asked whether he believes the change in parish priest played a role in the low turnout, Mt Sammut said “absolutely not”.

Contacted by this newsroom, former parish priest Dun Emmanuel Camilleri said that he supports this tradition, arguing that it comes from the people. “Were I still there, I would have left it happen regularly as it is a tradition. It replaces the concept of collecting money through envelopes by the Parish Priest as done in other Churches, thereby giving other groups the opportunity to collect money of their own”.

When asked for a comment, Father Borg said that he had already said everything he had to say.

The offering attracted a number of foreigners to the square and has become somewhat of an attraction in itself. A Gozitan man from Australia, who has been present for this event four times in the past and is currently visiting Malta, disagreed with the participants and believes that the issue with Father Emmanuel Camilleri played a role in the bidding. He disagrees with the decision to remove Father Camilleri from his post, arguing that Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna should not have removed him.

Another Australian visiting Malta with his family found the event very entertaining. “You cannot find an event like this anywhere else,” he said.

The procession will take place tonight at 7 pm.