Festa-catholicism and media religion: the reproduction and transformation of the festa in Malta

Author: Debono-Roberts R.

Source: History and Anthropology, Volume 14, Number 4, December 2003 , pp. 383-405(23)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

This article examines the evolution of the festa phenomenon in Malta. It suggests that rather than looking at popular religion as an aberration of official Catholicism, it should rather be seen as a sui-generis phenomenon, and proposes its characterization as "festa Catholicism". It begins by suggesting that the distinction adopted by many anthropologists in looking at the festa in terms of sacred and profane, to correspond to the internal feasts and external celebrations has limited value both heuristically and in terms of the experiences of the participants themselves. For many of the aficionados (dilettanti) the external festivities are not just ritual but hold religious significance. Indeed, the tension between the public supporters of the saint and the church authorities is not an unfortunate "aberration" but rather is fundamental to explaining the sentiments of the parishioners. It then suggests that the recent exposure of the festa in Malta to close media scrutiny is both exacerbating the tension between the aficionados and the church, but is also transforming the public perceptions of the festa. The media have thus become a primary territory of contestation where both the Church and the aficionados are exploring new areas for the expression of their religious sentiments.

Keywords: Popular religion; Malta; Festas; Media

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/027520032000156497

Affiliations: 1: Gregorian University, Rome

Publication date: 2003-12-01

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