The 2nd of July 1983 is not a day that will be easily forgotten. On that Saturday afternoon, the eve of the Festa, the facade of the Sliema Philharmonic Society premises, found opposite to the Parish Church, was badly damaged by fire.
The Sliema Philharmonic Society was celebrating its 60th Anniversary and the facade was decked with paper flowers.
A young boy inadvertently iginted a wick used for firing petards (stoppini) rather too close to the paper flowers. These burst into flames and the fire spread all over the facade. By the time the fire brigade arrived on the scene, the wooden balcony and flagpole were a write-off and even the masonry was in danger of being damaged by the heat from the fire. The papier-mache statue of Pope Pius IX, traditionally positioned in front of the Society's premises remained undamaged. Rather than leading to despondency, this disaster spurred the people of the parish into action, collecting funds for a new, reconstructed facade (this time with a flame resistant limestone balcony) that was completed in time for the following year's Feast of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.