The Maltese people believe that the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked near the coast of the island and magnificently celebrate this event. On the streets of Valletta, the capital of a small country, they arrange a massive colorful procession. The strongest men of the city carry on their shoulders a huge statue of the great evangelist.
The parade is accompanied by thunderous applause by the audience, the music of brass bands, and crowds of costumed people. Pious old ladies sprinkle the procession with confetti from the balconies along the way. The holiday ends with a Solemn Mass in the name of the Church of St Paul's Shipwreck. And traditionally, you can watch fireworks over Grand Harbor. Locals believe that the Apostle, after the catastrophe, managed to survive and live in Malta for a few months and converted many to Christianity and healed many of the doomed. However, some researchers refute this version, claiming that the shipwreck actually happened in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia. Nevertheless, St. Paul is the patron saint of the Maltese and wildly supported by them.
