Chapter 9
The part played by the statue bearers and the children
The bearers of the statue
The procession cannot be held unless a good number of people partake and the main people are the statue bearers.
As pointed out in previous chapters, originally the members of the Fraternity were obliged to carry the statues themselves. For many years this obligation was duly fulfilled. But as times changes so also the circumstances. Nowadays the Fraternity is not functioning just as well as it used to in those days and so now the bearers do not necessarily have to be members of the Fraternity. The tradition that the bearers dress up in the Fraternity of the Crucifix’s garb has been maintained. They wear in a straw coloured garb made of wool or linen. They have a cord made of common hemps round their waist and a hood which covers their head. The only exception is for the bearers of the entombment. Since this statue was for some years carried by priests the bearers wear a cassock and a surplice.
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The system of those who are going to carry the statues in Senglea is somewhat different from the system used in other towns and villages. Here the person in charge of the procession is approached during Lent by persons who wish to form groups as bearers of some particular statue. The person accepted to form this group will be responsible to find a group of eight or ten persons (depending on the statue) and other four to carry the four poles with forked upper end (forcini). These supports are used when those carrying a statue in a procession stop for a while to rest. This group will not only be responsible to carry the statue but also to clean the statue, the dais and the scones when the statues are exposed in the Church. They do not have to pay any fee not even for using the Fraternity’s garbs. They are only expected to give a small donation so that flower arrangement can be put in front of each statue for Good Friday. Seventy two bearers are needed. Ten bearers are needed for each of the following statues: Jesus in the Garden, Jesus the Redeemer, the Crucifixion and Our Lady of Sorrows. The other statues take eight bearers each one. On Tenebrae Wednesday in the evening a special service of spiritual preparation is held for all those people who are going to take part in the procession, namely the biblical personality’s bearers and other adults. This service is held so that the participants can enter into this procession in a devotional way. At the end of the service details regarding the organization of the procession are given. On Good Friday early in the afternoon a special service is held for the participants, so that those who cannot go to the service at the Basilica will be able to attend service too.
Children in the procession
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The participation of children in these processions is as vital as that of adults. Probably their participation is more important because it imbibes in them the love of these occasions. It is also a good sign that the number of children who ask to partake is higher that the number required.
We have already mentioned what part children used to play in processions of bygone days. This is concrete proof that children have been taking part for many many years. Nowadays, as we have seen, the children are accompanying every statue. Up to 1979 only boys used to take part in the procession. They used to carry the lanterns, symbols (misteri) and the inscriptions when they were originally introduced. There were lots of requests for girls and women to take part in the procession. The participation of females was being given the go ahead in similar services and so in 1980, the inscriptions were carried by young girls.
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All in all thirty eight girls carry various inscriptions in front of the statues and another two act as servants to Pontius Pilot and walk just in front of him. The girls who carry the inscriptions wear a long violet robe (zimarra) with white borders along their ends. Even the boys are spread out through the procession. Thirty two carry lanterns, four with each statue and sixteen others go in groups of two with each statue carrying symbols of that particular statue. The boys carrying the lanterns wear a dark red robe and short velvet copes. Those carrying the symbols wear a violet robe with a wide velvet stole (stollun) which is decorated with a wide braid (gallun) and golden fringe at the end. One must also include the boy dressed up in sheep’s skin personifying Isaac. He walks with Abraham (his father) in front of the statue of the Crucifixion. With the entombment we have another eight very little boys carrying the forked stand (forcini). During the procession they are huddled together beneath the statue.
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The children also have a service, just like the adults, so that the importance of these events is explained to them. On Good Friday early in the afternoon they gather in one of the transepts (kappellun) of the Church for a service under the guidance of the members of the MUSEUM and members of other societies.
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