Saturday, 8 July 2017

Horse-driven hearse

Yesterday, while on my way to help at the parish office, I came across a funeral procession just starting their last journey towards the cemetery. What was unusual was the fact that the casket was being carried by a horse-driven carriage. These have been discontinued in Malta, but apparently there are a few that still operate on special occasions. I remember as an altar-boy riding in a black horse-driven hearse accompanying the priest, following these elaborate gold-gilded hearses. 
As one can see, they are hand-crafted complete with four angels on the corners, and lots of gold-trim all around the carriage. Certainly this is a keep-sake for future generations, as this is probably the last of its kind in the Maltese islands – in fact I was more than surprised that they even still existed.

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