The so-called Jesus Tree of Rabat will be replaced by Yggdrasil, the tree of life in Norse mythology, in an attempt to better cater to the religious beliefs of Scandinavian expats.
The Jesus Tree, which allegedly bears a likeness to the crucified body of Christ, fell onto its side yesterday after its base rotted away.
The Environment Ministry is now taking the opportunity to replace the tree with a mystical giant ash tree imported from Sweden, to better reflect Malta’s new multicultural identity.
“If God wanted the Jesus Tree to stand, he wouldn’t have let it rot. Clearly Christianity is dead so we might as well plant something the Nordic igaming community can worship aside from money,” minister José Herrera said.
After the Jesus Tree is burned as an offering to Odin, Yggdrasil will be planted next week. However, the Environment and Resource Authority (ERA) has stated that the serpent Níðhöggr, the squirrel Ratatoskr, and the four stags Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór, who according to mythology live in the great tree, will not be allowed to come to Malta as they are classed as invasive species.
Meanwhile, Ian Borg has expressed his opposition to the project.
“It’s outrageous that a whole tree, no matter how holy it is, will take up land that could have been used for a huge petrol station,” he said.
