A moment of reflection in our faith journey

Every year, as we approach Holy Week, communities across Malta come together to relive one of Christianity's most profound moments – the passion of Jesus. It's a ritual woven into the fabric of our island life, from the villages to our cities, where processions wind through familiar streets and ancient chapels fill with familiar faces.[1]

But this annual recounting isn't simply about remembering history. Rather, it's an invitation to something far more personal and transformative. Through these commemorations, we express our deepest desire to participate more intimately in Jesus's total and selfless act of saving love – a redemptive gesture made for all of humanity.[1]

More than tradition

When we Maltese pause to relive the passion each year, we're doing something sacred. We're not just watching from the sidelines or going through the motions out of habit. We're choosing to enter into that mystery ourselves, to understand what it truly means to give completely, to love without reservation.

It's in these moments – whether you're walking behind a statue in your village or sitting quietly in prayer – that the full weight of that sacrifice becomes real. The phrase "lest we forget" takes on its truest meaning. We're not forgetting a distant historical event. We're refusing to forget the lesson at its heart: that love, real love, demands everything.

Through the annual recounting of the passion, we express our desire to participate more intimately in Jesus's total and selfless act of saving love for the redemption of humanity[1]

For those of us living here on the island, this spiritual practice connects us not just to our faith, but to generations of Maltese believers who have stood where we stand, felt what we feel, and sought that same deeper understanding. It's a conversation across centuries, kept alive through our commitment to remember.