The Marsascala parish will be commemorating the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the statue of St Anne in this picturesque village. Fr Roderick Camilleri, parish priest and the clergy of Marsascala are inviting the village community together with those who at some time or other resided in Marsascala, and their families to attend to a Mass of Thanksgiving which will be concelebrated by the Archbishop Emeritus Mons. Paul Cremona together with the parish priest and clergy on Saturday 31 December at 7.45 pm.
After the Second World War the population of Marsascala consisted of fishermen, farmers and herdsmen together with families who earned a living from the Drydocks. In summer families of professionals and well-to-do people from Cottonera and other parts of the island took their holidays in Marsascala.
In 1943, following the end of the war, Father Tarċis Agius, a very dynamic priest, was appointed Vicar Curate of Marsascala. At the same time a certain Spiru Vella from Vittoriosa, who for some time resided with his daughter in Marsascala, informed Father Tarċis about a vow he made with St Anne that if his three sons George, Censu and Joseph, who during the war worked at the Drydocks. with the Navy and the NAAFI respectively, escaped the conflict unscratched, he will pay all the expenses for a statue of St Anne which was the titular feast of the village even though Marsascala was not yet a parish. Spiru Vella kept his word and Father Tarċis was overjoyed with this good news. He immediately left for Italy to order the statue of St Anne from Stuflesser of Ortisei, province of Bolzano.
The statue arrived in Marsascala on Saturday 6 September 1947 on a landing barge which was kindly given on loan by the Commodore Superintendent of HM Dockyard. The people of Marsascala, whose population was about 500, gave the new statue a rousing welcome. Hunters from Marsascala welcomed the statue with a salute, and various boats met the landing barge – on which beside the statue were Father Tarċis and other volunteers – between the two entry point of the bay and accompanied the landing barge to the foreshore at Siberia.
From there the statue was lifted on a truck which was followed by the parishioners chanting Marian hymns. Speeches were delivered by Father Tarcis Agius and Spiru Vella in the village square with the latter speaking about the vow he made. Spiru Vella was accompanied by his sons and daughters. Following this ceremony the statue was transported to the old parish church of Marsascala in La Senglè Street.
This year the Marsascala Parish will also commemorate the inauguration of the pedestal of the statue of St Anne. anniversary. On 11 July 1948 Mr Carmel Grima from Żejtun (known as tal-Qutu) donated a gilted pedestal for the statue of St Anne. This was designed by Professor V Bonello of Valletta. The pedestal, at a cost of £300, was also sculptured by F. Stuflesser of Ortisei. It was unveiled by Fr Tarcisio Agius and blessed by Rev. Canon Paul Azzopardi.