Outrage over call to ban traditional ‘church run’

Festa aficionados have expressed outrage at calls for the traditional ‘church run’ to stop after the San Cajetan statue in Ħamrun nearly fell to the ground on Sunday. Public opinion on the traditional runs was divided yesterday with many taking to social media to condemn the tradition as “unnecessarily dangerous” and others insisting there would be no festa without it. The 800-kilo effigy almost crashed onto the crowds on the church parvis as it leaned forward and to the right as its bearers hurried up the parish church steps in a tradition that started over 100 years ago. Onlookers intervened and assisted the bearers, thus avoiding any damage to the artistic statue. Public opinion on the traditional runs was divided yesterday with many taking to social media to condemn the tradition as “unnecessarily dangerous” and others insisting there would be no festa without it. Commenting on a Facebook group by the name of Il-Ħamrun- Kultura-Storja U Niesu (Ħamrun – culture, history and its people), festa buff Max Farrugia, said: “If we were to drop this statue, we would lose a gem of local culture and also hurt people. Something should be done to ensure this doesn’t happen.” George...