As a young man, Frank Galea remembers being honoured with the important duty of carrying the statue of Santa Marija on his shoulders in a procession around his village in Malta.
The traditional procession is a part of the Festa Santa Marija Assunta, celebrated on August 15 each year and marks the ascent into heaven by the Virgin Mary.
Celebrating Deer Park’s 40th year of the Festa Santa Marija Assunta, the community came together during the week to mark the occasion at St St Peter Chanel Catholic Church.
Mr Galea said the traditional occasion stems from back home in Malta, where the village came to life to prepare for the celebration.
“Back home we used to have eight strong men carry the life size statue on their shoulders, and carry it around the village in a procession that would take three to four hours. I first got to be a bearer when I was 17 up until I was 21, and each of us had approximately 70 kilograms on our shoulders,” he said.
“Back then in the village we would have 500 to 600 people in the church, it was so packed you couldn’t drop a needle in it.
“Now, every year, we do exactly the same thing in Deer Park as we would back home.”
Outside of Malta, Australia is home to the largest Maltese population in the world, with the majority of Maltese immigrants residing in Melbourne.
Mr Galea said it is important for the community to find time to come together.
“There is not one family in Malta who doesn’t have a descendant living in Australia,” he said.
“That is why we celebrate it, it is in our blood.”
Hannah Hammoud
