News
October 2006 - January 2007

www.vittoriosahistorica.org

Vittoriosa St. Lawrence band newsletter
LArchbishop Paul Cremona's visit to Vittoriosa
"Four Walks in a Historic City"
Communications Seminar by Vittoriosa Local Council
Missed opportunity at Vittoriosa
Historical re-enactment at the Maritime Museum
"Il-Hadd fil-Pjazza"
Model boat-making course at the Maritime Museum
Grand Master Cottoner's bust
"Socio-Economic Value of Historic Fortified Cities"
Fort St. Angelo highlight
Story-telling at Caraffa Stores
Christmas concert at St. Lawrence collegiate church
Christmas concert in support of Vittoriosa
Annual Luncheon 2007

VITTORIOSA ST LAWRENCE BAND NEWSLETTER

The bi-monthly magazine issued by the Vittoriosa St Lawrence Band club, in its eighth year of publication, has been given a facelift.  Besides the improved presentation it now comes in a professional printed typeset.  The magazine continues to serve as a vehicle of information and provides a forum for discussion on issues relating to Vittoriosa.  Among its varied reports, it carries an article written by Society Member, Mr George Cilia about the artistic silver monstrance containing precious relics of St Lawrence, donated by Pope Pius VI and consigned to St Lawrence Collegiate Church by Inquisitor Mgr Guglio Carpegna.  Another notable feature in the newsletter is that by Mr Lino Bugeja who recounts with nostalgia his childhood experiences in war-trodden Birgu in the rock-cut shelter deep in the ditches of the Post of Castille.  Mr Bugeja expressed the wish that this fortess with its impressive hornwork would some day be restored and turned into a historic landmark.


 ARCHBISHOP PAUL CREMONA’S VISIT TO VITTORIOSA

Vittoriosa joins the rest of the Maltese community in congratulating Mgr Paul Cremona OP on his ordination as Archbishop of Malta.  It was a memorable occasion for Vittoriosa when he paid a courtesy visit to the Dominican Priory and said Mass at the Annunciation Church assisted by the Dominican Friars.   He was greeted by the Prince of Wales Band which accompanied him through the purposely decorated streets of Birgu.  Mgr Paul Cremona visited Vittoriosa again, this time to perform the sacrament of Confirmation at St Lawrence Collegiate Church.  This will go on record as the first Confirmation in the Diocese officiated by him in his episcopate.  It should also be pointed out that one of the first public interviews with the Archbishop Elect was televised on the programme Bondi Plus from the restored Engine Room of the Maritime Museum, Vittoriosa.

“FOUR WALKS IN A HISTORIC CITY”

This is the title of a booklet about Vittoriosa written by Society Vice President Mr Anton Attard.  The publication is profusely illustrated and gives a detailed account of all the historical sites encountered as the reader follows along the guided tours through the city’s old streets and tortuous alleys right across the Piazza and into the Collacchio, the Order’s reserved area, and along the city walls.  The booklet is a joint project of the Vittoriosa Local Council and Din l-Art Helwa.  Copies of the book may be obtained from the offices of these two associations.


COMMUNICATIONS SEMINAR BY VITTORIOSA LOCAL COUNCIL

The Vittoriosa Local Council organized a successful seminar at the Coastline Hotel on the theme of communication skill development with the object of promoting better understanding and cooperation at Vittoriosa.  It was open to all social, cultural and religious associations at Vittoriosa.  Presentations were made by communications and psychology experts, including Mr Melvin Attard, Mr Joe Vella Bonnici and Mr Joseph Attard.  The seminar also included Workshops and practical examples involving the active participation of delegates.  Our Society was represented by Mr Anton Attard, Vice President.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY AT VITTORIOSA

The ‘Kunsill Nazzjonali ta’ l-Ilsien Malti’ organized a well-attended seminar on the impact of modernism on the Maltese language and orthography.  It is a pity that the seminar, the first of its kind, was organized at a Sliema hotel rather than at the Auberge de France at Vittoriosa.  This Auberge was occupied by the French Knights before the building of Valletta.

HISTORICAL RE-ENACTMENT AT THE MARITIME MUSEUM

The Maritime Museum at Vittoriosa has been selected to serve as setting for various colourful displays by the Historical Re-Enactment Group.  The presentations cover the last phase of the stay of the Knights of St. John in Malta, the French blockade, and the arrival of Lord Nelson and the Royal Navy.  The promoters have undertaken extreme research to create a specialized team of interpreters dressed in full period costumes and using appropriate props.

“IL-HADD FIL-PJAZZA”

The popular television Sunday morning programme “Il-Hadd fil-Pjazza” took its turn to be broadcast from Vittoriosa, the main stage being set at Vittoriosa Square.  The programme included several interesting features among which interesting interviews with Mr Lino Bugeja and Mr Anton Attard.  A major attraction of the programme was a miniature of the Clock Tower which was placed precisely on the site in the Square where the old Clock Tower once stood before it was destroyed during the war.

MODEL BOAT MAKING COURSE AT THE MARITIME MUSEUM

A course in model boat making was held at the Maritime Museum, led by Mr Joseph Abela who has been a ship modeller for over 15 years and who now one of the Museum’s restorer and keeper of the Museum’s collection of artistic models of vessels at the Museum which include models of traditional Maltese boats and innumerable others of contemporary and antique ships including galleys pf the Order of St John, warships of the Royal Navy and Maltese military and commercial vessels.  The course, the first of its kind, was attended by thirteen students of different age levels and was a joint venture between the Malta Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce and Heritage Malta.

GRAND MASTER COTTONER’S BUST

The bronze bust of Grand Master Nicholas Cottoner which graced the baroque Notre Dame Gate at Vittoriosa has undergone restoration at Heritage Malta’s Conservation Division at the Bighi Institute.  The laborious restoration which lasted just over two years has been completed and was carried out on behalf of Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, which takes care of Notre Dame Gate.  At one stage it was being considered whether to replace the bust with a fiberglass replica and to put the original in a Museum.   It has however been decided that the original bust would be returned to its original location in the lofty aedicule atop Notre Dame Gate.

“SOCIO-ECONOMIC VALUE OF HISTORIC FORTIFIED CITIES”

A highly academic week-long seminar on the above subject was held in the premises of the Cottonera Rehabilitaion Committee at The Armoury, Vittoriosa. It was organized by the Works Division within the Ministry of Resources and Infrastructure,  which was partnered by representatives from Italy, Spain and Greece.  The lectures were co-financed by the EU.  One of the main speakers was architect Mr Stephen Spiteri, specialist in Maltese military engineering and fortifications.

FORT ST ANGELO HIGHLIGHT

Thomas Cook organized a large scale conference in Malta attended by some 2,000 delegates from the travel industry.  The opening ceremony in the night on the eve of the conference brought participants to the Grand Harbour to admire a general illumination of Fort St Angelo and a spectacular firework display put together by the Santa Marija Firework Factory of Imqabba.

STORY-TELLING AT CARAFFA STORES

Leading bookshop Agenda has launched a Kids Readers Club.  To mark the occasion they organized story-telling sessions for children under 12 at Caraffa Stores at the Vittoriosa Marina.  Stories were narrated from popular children’s books.  As the event was under way, an exhibition of children’s drawings and sketches was put up.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT ST LAWRENCE COLLEGIATE CHURCH

The Joy Gospel Singers, a 40-strong adult choir, gave a Christmas concert at St Lawrence Church.  The singers enhanced their musical rendering of carols and spirituals by solo pieces and by expressive body movements.  The musical director is  Michelle Abela who is also responsible for the musical arrangements.  The event was supported by the US Embassy and the Cottonera Waterfront Group.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT IN SUPPORT OF VITTORIOSA

The choir EnKor, conducted by Johanna Van Lent Singles, presented an evening of carols in aid of the Rotary Club’s project for the rehabilitation of Santa Margherita Bastion at Vittoriosa.  The concert took place at the Salesian Theatre, Sliema.

ANNUAL LUNCHEON 2007

Keeping up the yearly tradition, the Vittoriosa Historical and Cultural Society held their Annual Luncheon for members and guests on Sunday, 28 January 2007 at the Coastline Hotel.  In his short address the Society’s President, Can. Paul Raggio thanked members for supporting the Society in its activities throughout the year.  He reminded them of the Society’s aim of fostering awareness and pride of Vittoriosa’s historic past.  The event was concluded by the presentation of a gift from members to Can Paul Raggio on the occasion of his appointment as Monsignor.