Gozo’s Ghost Festival Fiasco: Archbishop’s Ultimate Prank

The Spectral Spettaklu of Gozo

On a typically sunny midsummer’s day, the whole island of Gozo was in a tizzy about the first-ever Ghost Festival, inspired by international events but with a Maltese twist. Characters like Manwel from Xagħra and Rituccia the “għarusa” from Xlendi were excited to don their spookiest garb. The festival was set to be held at the Azure Window ruins, because what’s creepier than a beautiful landmark that’s no longer there, qed tifhem?

Of course, the menu was bursting with local dishes; you could almost smell the timpana from the next town over. The organizers promised an unforgettable night with floating hobż biż-żejt sandwiches (don’t ask how, it’s a ghost thing) and frightening fenkata (rabbit stew, but with carrots cut like tiny screaming faces).

Plot Twist: The Archbishop’s Astonishing Appearance

In a twist that left everyone ghawgħa, the retired Archbishop Emeritus, known for his cheeky sense of humor, decided this would be the perfect moment for a grand prank. Dressed as a phantom, complete with a fluorescent mitre, he arrived on a Vespa adorned with ghostly tassels. Manwel almost choked on his pastizz, and Rituccia screamed so loud, the Ħaġar Qim temples felt it.

“Uwejja, I thought the Archbishop had passed away!” exclaimed Manwel, crossing himself in disbelief.

Laughing under his spectral costume, the Archbishop whizzed around the festival, blessing the fake ghouls and offering ‘Holy Ghost’ holy water. It was quite the kerfuffle when he inadvertently joined a tour group visiting the Citadel in Victoria, and they mistook him for the apparition of a long-dead bishop coming to bestow a mysterious prophecy.

The Culprit Cacophony in Ċittadella

Up in the ancient Citadella, the mix-up escalated when a couple of tourists fainted, reviving just in time to snap a selfie with the “ghostly” figure. #Blessed, indeed. The scene erupted into a pleasant pandemonium only seen in Malta when the local festa fireworks unintentionally explode at ground level.

Interactive Interviews: Locals and Tourists React

Reporter: “So, what do you think about today’s events?”

Rituccia: “Look, at first, I was imdejqa, but then I realized it was just his Excellency on a Vespa! I haven’t laughed this hard since Peppi fell off the dghajsa in Marsaxlokk!”

Manwel: “I must admit, the Archbishop’s got style. It brings a whole new meaning to the ‘spirit’ of the islands.”

The Revelation

Till this day, no one knows how the Archbishop’s Vespa managed to float over the Azure Window’s underwater remains. Some say it’s Maltese engineering at its best; others wonder if maybe, just maybe, there’s a bit of magic left in the old ruins after all.

Whether it was a miracle or merely a trick of the light, the Archbishop’s Ghost Festival stunt entered the annals of Maltese folklore, proving that even a retired man of the cloth could have a heavenly sense of humor.

Mela, the next time you’re in Gozo, listen closely; you might just hear the faint hum of a Vespa and the chuckle of an ecclesiastical prankster riding off into the Mediterranean sunset.