The Carnival Tragedy of 1823
On February 11, 1823, a group of boys were visiting the Convent of the Minori Osservanti in Valletta, Malta. At the time, Malta was experiencing a famine, so they began handing out bread at the end of mass during Carnival celebrations. The mass was supposed to be just for these children. However, it was being held at the same time as the end of Carnival celebrations. So, while these boys were waiting in a corridor to enter the convent, a crowd of more men and boys began to queue in line, because they wanted free bread too. The lamp went out, causing the hallway to go into complete darkness. Men started pushing the crowd forward, and the boys at the front of the line began to fall. Approximately 110 children perished in the stampede.