€40,000 donation secures right to carry Mġarr's Santa Marija statue

A €40,200 donation has secured the right to carry Mġarr's Santa Marija statue for the upcoming feast.

The annual 'bidding war' is a long-standing tradition in Mġarr, held each year right outside the church in the middle of the village, drawing hundreds of spectators.

This tradition, which began in 1923, a year after the village acquired its statue, was established after the parish received an overwhelming number of requests to carry the statue during the procession. To resolve this, it was decided that the group offering the highest donation would earn the honor of carrying the statue. Participation is restricted to residents of Mgarr.

Last year, the donation to carry the statue was €15,000. The priciest donation was €46,000 which was reached in 2022, on the statue's 100th anniversary.