Lenten mood

It is customary that many churches do the minimum of decorations during the Lenten season, not only to accentuate the mood for this time of the year, but also because of traditions that some countries have. Some churches do not use any flowers at all. And even though it is no longer common practice, but many churches used to cover crucifixes, statues and other images during Lent. In my home country of Malta, some of the beautiful baroque churches hang black tapestries on the walls, all around the church. These walls are usually empty during the year, or covered in red tapestry during special celebrations, like the titular feast of that particular parish. These pictures show one particular church dressed up in black, signifying also the mourning that permeates the entire season, and especially Holy Week until Easter. There are two other interesting facts in the two photos displayed here. The one above shows also on the right the Altar of Repose, where the Blessed Sacrament will be reserved on Holy Thursday. The one below shows one of the statues, (in this case the Crucifixion,) which are displayed around the church during Lent. They will be carried in procession on Good Friday throughout the streets of the particular town, in the case the village on Naxxar.