On February 5th, we celebrate every year the feast of St. Agatha, a young Christian martyr from the 3rd century. Agatha after rejecting the advances of a Roman official, she fled Sicily and sought refuge in Malta for a short period. However, upon her return to Sicily, she was arrested, endured brutal torture, and was ultimately martyred for her faith. Reflecting on martyrdom, Pope Francis notes that these individuals inspire us to turn adverse experiences “into a supreme occasion of love,” a call that resonates deeply in St. Agatha’s story. Her brief stay in Malta made her a beloved figure on the island, where devotion to her remains strong to this day.
In light of this celebration, Br. Dominic Borg, the Curator of our St. Agatha’s Complex, shared with us this historical note.
The connection between St. Agatha and our Society dates back to the very foundation of our Motherhouse, which was built beside the church and crypt dedicated to her. In fact, this Complex itself bears the saint’s name, a testament to her enduring significance.
For centuries, the Cathedral Chapter honored St. Agatha with a votive procession to her church, a tradition that served as a solemn promise to God and the saint in gratitude for Malta’s victory over the Muslims during the first siege in 1551. This procession was a grand occasion, attended by priests from the Cathedral along with religious communities from Mdina and Rabat. Upon reaching the church, the antiphon of St. Agatha was sung, followed by a solemn pontifical Mass, during which the Cathedral’s Lenten preacher delivered a panegyric. However, in recent years, the Chapter made the decision to discontinue this historic practice.
An old document offers fascinating insights into how St. Agatha’s feast was once celebrated with great devotion and splendor. A portable organ was brought from the Cathedral, pavilions were set up to adorn the streets, and spectacular fireworks, fired by the bombardiers of Mdina, illuminated the sky. Families from Valletta contributed golden and silver decorations, while red damask fabric, borrowed from St. Paul’s Church in Valletta and other churches in the city and Isla, added to the grandeur. The procession route, stretching from the Cathedral to St. Agatha’s Church, was strewn with myrtle leaves, and the façade of the church itself was illuminated with colorful oil lamps. As the procession moved through the streets, the bells of the churches in Mdina and Rabat rang out in unison, creating a truly awe-inspiring atmosphere.
The devotion to St. Agatha was so profound that confessors were made available for the faithful to receive the sacrament of reconciliation, while multiple Masses were celebrated both in the church and in the crypt. In the 17th century, Bishop Beunos was so moved by the depth of this devotion that he gifted the church a finely crafted alabaster statue of the saint. Many of the historic decorations used in these early celebrations are still displayed each year for the feast, and for the rest of the year, they are carefully preserved in the Museum within the Central House.
This deep-rooted devotion to St. Agatha remains alive today. Each year, close to her feast day, a special Mass is celebrated for women who are or have been affected by breast cancer, recalling one of the torments St. Agatha endured during her martyrdom—the cutting of her breasts. This year, the Mass took place on February 8th and was celebrated by Fr. Martin Galea, the newly elected Superior General of the MSSP, together with Fr. Frankie Cini MSSP, Superior of the community house, and the various MSSP missionaries residing there. This cherished tradition continues to honor St. Agatha’s legacy of faith and perseverance.