The Maltese festa tradition is always in the middle of heated debates, and now it is also at a risk of being permanently endangered. On one side you have people and armchair critics who express themselves negatively on the Maltese festa tradition, while on the other hand you have active festa participants who spend much of their time preparing for the annual celebration in honour of their village patron saint on a voluntary basis. The church has published a document with the intent of reducing celebrations both inside and outside the church. This document has brought about considerable criticsm, and festa enthusiasts are up in arms against those priests and curia officials who want to abolish this Maltese tradition. Even Maltese scholars have expressed themselves negatively on the document stating that this document will bring about confusion and anger towards the church.
