Typically, Easter celebrations in Malta last a long few days and have a strong religious significance also know as Holy Week.

The celebrations begin the Friday preceding Good Friday when a statue of Our Lady of Sorrows is carried in a procession through the streets of Valletta, the capital, as well as many other small towns and villages. This is the kick off of the Easter celebrations and is a wonderful experience.

Towards the end of Holy Week, the celebrations really kick up a gear on Maundy Thursday. This is when the Last Supper is commemorated and worshippers pay visits to seven ‘Altars of Repose’, all in different churches. ‘Altars of Repose’ are altars where the Communion hosts, which are consecrated during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday are placed, in preparation for Good Friday, and so form a crucial part of the Easter celebrations. The altars are beautifully decorated and offer a real visual treat, as well as the opportunity to reflect on the holiday and celebrations. Then comes Good Friday, a rather sombre affair, seen as a day of penance and is observed through veneration of the cross and processions in different locations, during which scenes from the Passion and Death of Christ are carried out. Although this may seem a gloomy day, it is a crucial part of the whole Easter experience in Malta.

Easter Sunday is a day of huge celebration, thus day starts with the ringing of the bells in churches to celebrate the resurrection. At mid-morning, a statue of the Risen Christ is processioned through the streets and carried triumphantly into the church. This is a day for celebration, fun and another crucial aspect… followed up by many traditions. It is a tradition to present children with chocolate coated Easter Eggs as part of the celebration, along the typical figolla, which is an almond filled pastry in the shape of a rabbit, lamb, heart or fish. Both of these are treats following the fantastic family feast which takes place after 40 days of potential fasting and no sweets.

The Easter feast is the pinnacle of the celebrations and is an occasion for the whole family to get together. Delicacies include kwarezimal, also known as ‘Lenten’ cookies, which are sweet, traditional cakes or biscuits, more common during the period of Lent, but also widely celebrated and enjoyed as an Easter sweet.

Due to the covid-19 restrictions, churches have been shut and no processions or religious ceremonies are being held during Holy Week this year.

The season of blooming flowers, mild evenings and religious celebrations. Spring in Malta is the time of undeniable beauty. The sea is still too cold for swimming but exceptionally calm. The trees are getting greener and the blossoms are all out. It’s the start of the al fresco dining season and ideal weather for any outdoor activities both by the sea and in the countryside.

Spring welcomes the most significant dates in the Roman Catholic calendar – namely the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. In Malta, the religious rituals observed during Holy Week are faithfully attended by the locals.

Spring days provide plenty of opportunities for relaxation in the sunny outdoors, allowing you to lounge in the sun or ramble through countryside lushness.