Summer in Malta is punctuated by fireworks. Loud, colourful, spectacular and… did I say loud? Every parish celebrates the feast of its patron saint with as much pomp and grandeur as only a Mediterranean village can muster. No matter when you visit throughout the summer months, you can be sure there will be a festa or three somewhere on the island - just follow the fireworks.

And it all starts this weekend, with the feast of St Publius in Floriana. 

The first festa for the 'prince of the island' 

St Publius is one of Malta’s two patron saints, the other being St Paul who was shipwrecked on the island in 60AD on his way to Rome. During his brief stay, St Paul is traditionally believed to have introduced Christianity to Malta, with Publius being his first convert. Publius served as Malta’s first bishop, and is generally acknowledged as Malta’s first saint and the 'prince of the island'. With such a background, it’s only fair that St Publius is today still venerated by the locals, and has the honour of opening festa season.

The week-long festivities traditionally kick off on the Sunday before the feast, when the titular statue of St Publius, carved in wood by Vincenzo Dimech in 1811 and believed by many to be one of the finest in Malta, is brought out of its niche amid a jubliant congregation in the capacious parish church in Floriana. 

Built in stages between the 18th and the 20th centuries, the Floriana parish church is a showcase of Maltese craftsmanship. The altar piece by Antoine de Favray dates back to 1773, the ceiling frescos depict the shipwreck of St Paul, and there are also several paintings by numerous Maltese artists including Giuseppe Calì and Emvin Cremona. The latter is said to have been so annoyed with the constant interference from the clergy while working on the church that he painted bunches of onions around the perimeter of the dome as calling someone an onion (basla in Maltese) is an insult denoting one’s ignorance. 

Expect the church to be dressed in its finest red damask silk and bursting with precious silverware. Festivities will be ongoing this week, making it an ideal time to visit, with religious services culminating this Saturday 14th April at 6pm, with the solemn procession of the relic of St Publius from the chapel of the Police Headquarters to the parish church. 

The official feast day is Sunday 15th April, and starts with a pontifical high mass at 9am. A traditional and very exuberant if somewhat irreverant band march kicks off at 1pm, during which parishioners let their hair down and dance through the streets. The feast climaxes with the procession of the statue of St Publius that evening from 7pm, and of course fireworks, lots of fireworks. 

Don't miss: Malta Mechanised Ground Fireworks Festival 

No festa in the Maltese Islands is complete without a cacophony of fireworks, but St Publius takes it to a higher level with a fireworks competition featuring no less than 13 fireworks factories! 

And this is no ordinary fireworks festival. This is a celebration of a form of pyrotechnics that is unique to Malta. Commonly known as St Catherine’s Wheels or, in Maltese gigh-gi-fogu (from the Italian gioco di fuoco) it features a mechanised set of wheels attached to a pole on the ground which provide a rotating movement for the burning gas tubes. These impressively creative ground fireworks are a regular fixture in all feasts. 

The hotly contested competition starts at 10:30pm this Saturday 14th April, and will feature 23 extra large Catherine Wheel structures on the Granaries in front of the Floriana parish church. In case of bad weather, the festival will be held on Sunday 15th April. Winners are announced on Monday 16th April.