Barra mill-festi kbar li taghmel ta' kull sena, f'gieh il-Patruna Glorjuza taghha Marija Assunta, il-Mosta tfakkar ukoll b'ghozza, il-passjoni u l-Mewt ta' Sidna Gesu` Kristu b'wahda mill-aktar purcissjonijiet devoti u popolari li jsiru fil-gzejjer taghna matul il-Gimgha Mqaddsa. Il-Purcissjoni ssir nhar il-Gimgha l-Kbira u tibda hierga ghall-habta tal-5:00pm. dritt wara li tintemm il-funzjoni liturgika fil-knisja Arcipretali.
The procession on Good Friday makes its way through the streets of Mosta starting around 5:00pm. This annual procession involves about 500 people all performing various roles within a pageant to commemorate the Passion and Death of Jesus.
L-ewwel purcissjoni tal-Gimgha l-Kbira fil-Mosta saret bit-thabrik u l-hegga ta' Girgor is-sagristan tar-Rotunda, fl-1866, meta kienet ghadha kemm tlestiet mill-bini r-Rotunda. Dik is-sena kienu hargu biss zewg vari, dik ta' Kristu fl-Ort u Kristu Marbut mal-Kolonna. Tliet snin wara zdiedu l-Vara ta' Kristu mghobbi bis-Salib u tal-Vara il-Kbira. Aktar tard dahlu l-Vari ta' Kristu Nkurunat bix-xewk, il-Veronika, il-Monument u d-Duluri. Dawn l-ahhar erba' vari kienu maz-zmien inbidlu ma vari aktar artisici li ghadna naraw illum. Tajjeb li nghidu li dawn il-vari ghall-habta ta' l-ewwel nofs tas-tletinijiet tas-seklu li ghadda kien pittirhom il-pittur Guze` Briffa u zejjinhom bid-deheb. Din id-dekorazzjoni tad-deheb ma tantx kienet intlaqghet tajjeb. Ghalhekk regghu tpittru b'sengha kbira minn Rafel Bonnici Cali.
Il-vari tal-Passjoni tal-Parrocci tal-Mosta huma msemmijin hafna ghall-fatt li sitta minnhom huma xoghol mill-isbah ta' Karlu Darmanin. Il-vari jinhargu fil-knisja meta joqrob l-ewwel Hadd tal-passjoni u jigu esposti ghall-qima tan-nies fil-knisja monumentali taghna. Il-vari huma maghammrin b'sett ta' bankuni tal-gewz mill-isbah, li barra mill-iskultura li zzejjinhom, nistghu nghidu li huma xoghol mill-ahjar ta' diversi mastrudaxxi Mostin. Imbaghad, nhar Hamis ix-Xirka, l-istess reffiegha ta' kull vara jiehdu hsieb il-vari jigu mzejnin b'bukketti ta' fjuri. L-istili originali ta' dan it-tizjin flimkien ma dawk il-brazzi ta' madwarhom huma karatteristika partikolarment Mostija f'din il-purcissjoni tal-Gimgha l-Kbira.
Most probably this tradition dates back to 1866. The first procession had only two statues. These were Christ in the Garden of Olives and Christ's scourging at the Pillar. Three years later Christ carrying the cross and Christ's crucifixion were added. Subsequently four other statues were added. These were Christ crowned with thorns, the Veronica, the burial of Christ and our lady of sorrows. These last four were later replaced. In 1952 the statues were artistically re-painted by Chev. Rafel Bonnici Cali.
On the eve of Passion Sunday the statues are taken into the parish church and displayed on walnut platforms beautifully sculptured with emblems relating to yhr passion and death of Christ. These platforms together with other embellishments that adorn the statues were executed over the years by various carpenters from Mosta.
