We go today inside some Maltese churches as they are decorated for Christmas. The first one is my childhood church in St Julian's, nicely decorated by a few enthusiasts, after it's been recently restored. The second one is the parish church in Naxxar where I say Mass practically every day now, since the number of priests have decreased even in Malta. The last one is a beautiful baby Jesus in the Cathedral church in Mdina, surrounded by a set of silver statues of the 12 apostles.
A predominant feature in all churches is the use of vetch, called in Maltese ġulbiena. They are tiny seeds which are planted on cotton in early December, and kept in the dark until Christmas Eve. They grow in white, almost like long alfalfa sprouts, and really adorn our sanctuaries and altars for the Christmas season. You can see them on the altar-rail in the second photo, and under the two silver statues in the third photo.
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