A statue that forms part of the Good Friday procession in Senglea was extensively damaged after it toppled over while being carried on Friday.

The dynamics of the accident are unclear, but minutes into the procession, as the statue – which is among the first to leave the Church – was being carried in Victory Street, it toppled over.

The statue in question is Christ in the Olive Garden, which is made up of two figures – that of Jesus Christ and an Angel.

Eyewitnesses said that the figure of the Angel was extensively damaged, while that of the Christ suffered minor damages.

The photo (above) shows the figure of Jesus Christ still affixed to the base of the statue after it had toppled over, but the figure of the Angel, holding a Cross, is unseen.

The photo (below) shows the statue leaving the church a few minutes before the accident happened.

Good Friday procession enthusiasts were quick to carry the statue indoors while the procession continued.

Speaking to The Malta Independent on Saturday, Archpriest of Senglea Robin Camilleri said that accidents such as this have happened before, and the statue is being sent for restoration.

He played down what happened, saying there are no damages to the faces of the figures that form part of the statue, and that the “damages caused can certainly be restored”.

He continued that a scientific report still needs to be carried out on the extent of the damage, but after restoration, the statue will return to the procession next year.  The cost of the repairs is as yet unknown.

Asked if statues are insured, Camilleri said that it supposedly has insurance which is taken care of by the Archdiocese of Malta.

“In this case and all others, the people come first, and thankfully nobody was hurt,” Camilleri said.