Saint Julian

St Julian's parish church decorated for the annual feast (photo of 2006)

The procession with the statue of Saint Julian is held today in my hometown of the same name. Earlier in the day some revelry takes place while marching bands entertain the people marching through the streets. Then the traditional greasy pole competition is held in St Julian’s Bay, as young men try to catch three flags at the end of a pole greased with lard. But the highlight of the evening is the procession with the 1983 paper-mache statue of St Julian which starts at 7 PM and usually ends by 11 PM, with a massive crowd gathered inside the church, cheering the statue and waiting to see the festivities end with Benediction.

Statue of St Julian by Carlo Darmanin (1893)

Greasy Pole competition

During the procession with the new church in the background

More from the procession of Saint Julian

The statue returns home, greeted by an enthusiastic crowd