News
Oct - Dec 2010
www.vittoriosahistorica.org
Birgu by Candlelight
Children’s Summer School comes to an end
Festival of Traditional Maltese Games
St Lawrence venerated by Chilean miners
Armed Forces of Malta anniversary
Author Simon Mawer recalls memories of Vittoriosa
St Lawrence Band September-October 2010 newsletter
Origin of the national regatta
Interview with Fra John Critien
EU funds for restoration of Gozo San Lawrenz church
The Knights of Malta – Fourth Edition
Malta’s medieval arsenal
Model of Order’s galley restored
Grain storage at Birgu
Maltese tavern at Vittoriosa
Painting exhibitions
St. Sebastian Statue
The Impuxi legend
Madame Aurore Verie, a friend of Vittoriosa
St Bridget of Sweden and St Lawrence
Dr Joseph Saliba MD, PhC passes away
Blessed John Henry Newman’s admiration of St Lawrence
The origin of printing in Malta
Sotto il cielo di Roma
The Notorial Archives and post 1530 Birgu
Pauline cult at Birgu
La Divina Commedia
Historic public transport reform contract signed at Vittoriosa
Two Vittoriosa war time veterans remembered
Great Siege bastions face uncovered
St Lawrence Band November-December 2010 newsletter
Successful historic St Lawrence Band Musical Tour of Brussels
Concert for charity at De La Salle College
50th anniversary from the inauguration of the Annunciation Church
First Maltese stamp in cover to Vittoriosa
Joe Gellel passes away
Medieval Archives at the Mdina Cathedral Museum
A bomb disposal hero from WWII
St Lawrence Church major restoration projects
Maltese bishop dies in Austalia
Evidence of Christianity’s survival during the Arab occupation of Malta
Birgu by Candlelight
The fifth edition of the grand annual festival organised by the Vittoriosa Local Council in conjunction with the National Tourism Authority and not least with the full cooperation of the Citizens of Vittoriosa was a round success, with crowd flocking into the city’s candle-lit narrow wending streets. Practically every household made an effort to display some kind of candle arrangement with an estimated 10,000 candles twinkling in the night darkness. The objective was to reserve a place for Vittoriosa in the Guiness Book of Records. Late in the evening, the Prime Minister, Dr Lawrence Gonzi, made an unscheduled visit to the Auberge de Castille, which houses the Vittoriosa Local Council offices. Besides the beautiful street decorations, there was music and paegenty throughout the three days. Cultural visits were organised to students around the palaces and museums. Old privately owned houses of character were opened for public viewing, among which the historic house at 27 St Scholastica Street, which was the ancestral home of Guze Ruggier, the hero who saved 39 lives in the 1859 shipwreck of the vessel The Royal Charter, off the coast of Wales. A unique art exhibition of some 200 artiristic masks was put up at the Maritime Museum, each mask representing different expressions and different feelings. Our Society too opened its premises at Vittoriosa Square. On the initiative of Committee member John Gatt, the staircase of our premises was beautifully decorated with coloured candles.
Children’s Summer School comes to an end
The summer school Klabbsajf held at the Agenzija Appogg at Vittoriosa and which embraces children from the Cottonera area and Kalkara was brought to a conclusion with an outing to the Vittoriosa War Museum which made them see how a gas mask looks like and how the howling of the air raid sounded !
Festival of Traditional Maltese Games
Once again, through the initiative of Heritage Malta and the Vittoriosa Local Council, one Sunday in November was dedicated to the revival of games which have been laregely forgotten. People attending, and notably children, were engaged in games which for decades enlivened the streets of Malta’s towns and villages, such as il-passju, il-bocci, il-gwerra Franciza, bum bum il-bieb, etc. The games were played in various streets of Vittoriosa, while indoor games, eg. kite-making, at the Inquisitors Palace, which houses the National Ethnography Musuem. The Museum, which was open to the public, boasts a unique collection of old toys.
St Lawrence venerated by Chilean miners
In August, 2010, the roof of the San Jose copper and gold mine in Chile collapsed, trapping 33 miners inside, 700 meters below ground. The fate of the miners was not immediately known - it took several days before a drill reached their refuge, discovering them alive and well. Rescue work began immediately, but even with several concurrent plans underway, the quickest likely rescue will still take two to three months. Until then, the trapped men had to endure the malevolent conditions underground. In the meantime, family members and colleagues organized links with them until the rescue operations could be concluded. On 10 August, miners from the nearby village processionally carried an effigy of Saint Lawrence, patron saint of miners, before a Mass outside a collapsed mine. It was only in mid-October that finally an escape hole was drilled through which the trapped miners could be hauled to the surface safely.
Armed Forces of Malta anniversary
This year marked the 40th anniversary from the inception of the Armed Forces of Malta, born from its 100-year old predecessor unit, the Royal Malta Artillery. Various events were organised and a special commemorative magazine was published. Among the various aricles in the publications was a description of the badge of the Armed Forces of Malta and how it developed over the years the years. The article was written by Denis Darmanin, himself an ex-serviceman and acclaimed author on local military history in particular on the British period. He is a member of the Vittoriosa Historical & Cultural Society.
Author Simon Mawer recalls memories of Vittoriosa
One the the events in the cultural summer projects Evenings on Campus consisted of an encounter with modern British author and novelist, Simon Mawer. His most renowed novel is called The Glass Room set in the war years. He was the son of a British serviceman who served in Malta in the 1960s and Mawer’s memories of Malta as a tennager are vivid. During his presentation he Vittoriosa and its ambience were among his favourite spots. One of his novels The Bitter Cross is indeed a historical novel taking in place in Birgu just after the arrival of the Order.
St Lawrence Band September-October 2010 newsletter
In his usual snippets from the past, Anton Attard, writing in the September-October 2010 issue of the St Lawrence Band magazine, deals with the history of the Siege Bell on Fort St Angelo. The orignal bell was brought by the Order from Rhodes and was pealed during the investiture of Grand Master L’Isle Adam whose Palace was at Fort St Angelo. This bell also pealed joyfully to break the news of the Great Siege Victory. The orignal bell was later replaced, the present one having been manufactured in 1716. In later years, it used to be rung also during various feasts. Anton Attard also describes the origin of the Fish Market at Vittoriosa, which was situated in Fosse Street. Lorenzo Zahra’s feature is about the presbytery of St Lawrence Church and how it used to accommodate, first, the Grand Priors of the Order when the church served as Conventual Chrch, and then the Inquisitors, who adopted St Lawrence as their church of tenure. Even the Jurats, as the officers of the local municipal body or Universita’ were called, used to be seated prominently next to the main altar. Lorenzo Zahra also narrated the strory of how a slave in the service of the Palace of the Testaferrata family ended up taking the daughter of the Noble Testaferrata as his wife ! Paul Micallef’s periodic interview is this time with Paul Attard Glivau, whose uncle was Can. Joseph Glivau, Dean of St Lawrence Colleggiate. He recounts his boyhood days at Vittoriosa and how despite having left the city during the war, he is still closely attached to it. (Mr Paul Attard Glivau, who was a member of the Vittoriosa Historical & Cultural Society, passed peacefully away in December 2010). The obituaries page of the St Lawrence Band newsletter recalls the memory of Lorry Farrugia, ex-bandsman with the St Lawrence Band, and Salvu Bugeja, artist and designer of numerous street decoration for the feast of St Lawrence, both of whom died in August
Origin of the national regatta
Joseph Serracino in an article in The Sunday Times traces the origin of the national regatta. It goes back to the 17th century when regattas were linked to the feast of Our lady of the Rosary and eventually with the feast of Our Lady of Porto Salvo. During the early British period the boat race stated to be organised on 10 August for the feast of St Lawrence. As the national sentiment and the wish for freedom from colonial strengthened and the commemoration of the Great Siege Victory started to be designated as national day, the regatta was moved to the Otto Settembre.
Interview with Fra John Critien
The Sunday Circle magazine for October 2010 circulated with The Sunday Times of Malta carried an interview with Fra John Critien, Knight Resident of Fort St Angelo. The interview centred around the Order of St John, with its 10 centuries of history, yet it is still a active and vibrant in the modern world. While the Order is undoubtedly proud of its ancient tradition and formidable bonds with the Church, it now projects itself as a philanthropic institution, doing much the same work that it was orgininally intended: that of a hospitaller. Indeed, the Order at present comprises some 12,000 members in 120 countries; it has 80,000 trained volunteers and 20,000 employees, the majority medical working in hospitals and clinics. Since 2001 the Order has been granted by the Malta government the exclusive use of the upper quarters of Fort St Angelo. This area has been rehabilitated and has been turned into a haven of peace. Also accompanying Fra John Critien in the interview was Dr Philip Farrugia Randon, who is the incumbent President of the Malta Association of the Order.
EU funds for restoration of Gozo San Lawrenz church
The small village of San Lawrenz in Gozo has successfully qualified for financial support under the European Regional Development Scheme to carry out major resoration works on its parish church with the aim of enhancing its cultural attraction. The programme also includes ancillary services to attract tourism, including a revamped website and an interactive visual information panel.
The Knights of Malta – Fourth Edition
The history of the Order of St John since its inception in Jerusalem is concisely and aptly recounted in this book which is now in its Fourth Edition. It author is Vittoriosa-born Joseph Attard, an acclaimed writer of international repute. The book was launched both in Malta’s Book Week and at the Frankfurt International Book Fair. With his vast experience as a senior official at the Department of Labour before his retirement, Joseph Attard is also an authority in matters relating to Industrial Relations.
Malta’s medieval arsenal
This is the subject of an article, written by Joyce Guillaumier on the monthly publication, VIDA for October 2010. It dwells on the origin of Malta’s maritime tradition, emphasising Malta’s dependency on sea navigation for the importation of vital provisions, and therefore the need for the maintenance and repair of ships and other sea crafts. Birgu was always Malta’ prime maritime settlement, with the Aragonese making the seat of power at the Castrum Maris, as Fort St Angelo was known. The Birgu arsenals was situated close by was active even from the 14th century.
Model of Order’s galley restored
After two painstaking years of patient resoration, a large authentic model of a galley of the Order of St John dating to around 1750 was returned to the National Maritime Museum at Vittoriosa. The work of repair and conservation was done by historian Joseph Muscat who paid attention to all details. The model belonged to the Grand Master who used to show it to visitors at the Palace as an epitome of the Order’s Fleet.
Grain storage at Birgu
Grand Master D’Homedes built the first fossae for the underground storage of grain at Birgu in 1538 in the vicinity of the Post of England. Similar were later constructed by the Order inside other bastions at Valletta and Floriana. This is the subject of an article by David Dandria in Treasures of Malta, No 48. It should be stated that besides the D’Homedes granaries at Birgu, there also existed the granaries administered by the local government, known as the Universita’.
Maltese tavern at Vittoriosa
A recently opened tavern at Vittoriosa called Sugu, specialised in Maltese food. It is situated in an old house at Pope Alexander VII Street. This is the second one of itts type: another small eating place called Tal-Petut also situated in another medieval house is close by in Pacifico Scicluna Street. The place was in fact the residence of a post-war Vittoriosa owner of a small grocery shop who was nicknamed Petut.
Painting exhibitions
Works by Christine Attard were on show at Lupinara Restaurant, in the Fort St Angelo moat. Paintings by Olaug Vethal from Norway were on show at the Vittoriosa National Maritime Museum.
St. Sebastian Statue
Tano Vella, in an article in The Sunday Times, commemorated the 75 years of Qormi’s St Sebasion parish. He describes who the origin dates back to the 1813 outbreak of the plague when the village of Qormi was worst struck. The inhabitants prayed the interecession of St Sebastian, the saint traditionally invoked against plagues and infectuous diseases, to spare them. When the epidemic was over, they erected in thanksgiving a stone statue depicting the martyrdom of the saint. The statue was sculpted by the two brothers, Francis and Jerome Fabri of Vittoriosa. The statue is still in its original location. The Fabri brothers were given various sculpture commissions in churches. There famous decorations at the Oratory of the Crucifix stand out for the Fabri’s mastery in stonecraft.
The Impuxi legend
In the Malta Folklore Society’s magazine L-Imnara, Vol 9 no. 3, Anton Dougall recounts the legend of the Impuxi (meaning: someone who taunts). According to the legend, the Grandmaster had just alighted at Cospicua wharf from his magesterial caique and was proceeding with his entourage of knights, bailiffs, and pages towards Birgu. It so happened that this strange character was watching from the belvedere opposite St Theresa Church and he blurted out shouting insults at the Grand Master. He must have had a grudge against the Order’s rule. The knights accompanying the Grand Master were surprised with the audacity of this and the indignity infliced on the sovreign. Infuriated, a couple of the Grand Master’s bodyguards gave him the chase. He sought refuge in the Theresian Convent which enjoyed immunity from the state. In spite of this, the bodyguards are said to have entered the Convent and strangeld the wretched man in one of the cells, which until this day is still called the Impuxi’s chamber. Also in the same magazine, two members of the Vittoriosa Histroical & Cultural Society are featured: George Cilia, taking the cue from an old painting he possesses of the Sibilla Persica, writes about the Sybills; Lorenzo Zahra, based on researches from the Status Animarum of the Cospicua parish, lists old street names and locations in Cospicua.
Madame Aurore Verie, a friend of Vittoriosa
She wrote s short biographical note in L-Imnara, Vol 9 no. 3. Madame Verie was born in Tunes, the daughter of Maltese emigrants. In the 19th century, Tunes, which was a French colony, used to attract emigrants from Malta. After the Tunisia’s independence in the mid 1950’s, she settled in France. She never lost contact with Malta and has learned the Maltese language. In recent years she became acquainted with Birgu and has gratuitously translated into French, the Vittoriosa Historical & Cultural Society’s publication, Vittoriosa - A Brief Guide to the City, written by Lorenzo Zahra. When a copy of the French translation was presented to the French Ambassador by the Society, the Ambassador admired the high quality of the French version of the booklet.
St Bridget of Sweden and St Lawrence
Pope Benedict XVI, in one of his weekly audiences, recalled the memory of St Bridget of Sweden, who was declared one of the Patron Saints of Europe by Pope John Paul II. Born into a noble family in 1303, she married,had eight children and led a led a tranquil family life giving alm to the poor and studying the scripture. When her husband died she renounced to her possessions, joined the Franciscan Order as a nun and deepend her studies of the faith as demonstrated in her inspired writings. She propagated the devotion towards Our Lady of Seven Sorrows. In 1349 she went to Rome where she dedicated herself to the Church, pleading the Popes to return to the Eternal City from Avignon, where the papacy was located at the time. It was in Rome that she nurtured an admiration to St Lawrence. When she died in 1373, she was temporarily buried in the Church of San Lorenzo in Panisperna, built on the site of St Lawrence’s martyrdom. A year later, her body was transferred to her native Sweden.
Dr Joseph Saliba MD, PhC passes away
Dr Joseph Saliba, a well known Vittoriosa personality, passed away on 3 November 2010 at the age of 84. He was educated at the Lyceum and graduated at the Royal University of Malta as medical doctor. He served as resident medical officer at St Luke’s Hospital and was Vittoriosa DMO for many years. He was prominent in the philantropicand cultural fields. Thus he lectured at the Civil Defence School and was Commissioner of St John Ambulance. He actually revived the Vittoriosa Division of St John Ambulance Brigade after World War II operating from a small room with Vittoriosa Main Gate and with the assistance of Mr Paul Xuereb. For over 40 years, he was President of the Prince of Wales Own Band of Vittoriosa and was involved in the annual celebrations for the feast of St Dominic. The funeral mass was held at the Annunciation Church, Vittoriosa, and a solemn funeral cortege led the coffin towards St Margharite Square from where it proceeded to the Addolorata Cemetery. He leaves to mourn him his loving wife Maria nee Pisani, his four children and their families, and other family members and acquintances. The Vittoriosa Historical & Cultural Society was represented during the funeral by the Vice President, the Secretary, and other Committee members.
Blessed John Henry Newman’s admiration of St Lawrence
Pope Benedict XVI beatified Cardinal John Henry Newman during his visit to the United Kingdom in October 2010. Newman was a hardline Protestant pastor but after a period of thorough study and prayer, he converted to the Catholic faith, and moved on to becoming Archbishop of Westminster and Cardinal. He was a profic writer and great scholar of the early Church Patriarchs, St Ambrose, St Augustine, St Thomas, St Anastasius, St Carlo Borromeo. No wonder, when he moved to Italy, he preferred staying in Milan rather than in Rome. In one of his letters he actually admitted that what he missed at Rome was its association with the great early Church martyrs, specifically mentioning St Lawrence.
The origin of printing in Malta
In an article entitles Printing Matters in the November edtion of VIDA magazine, Joyce Guillaumier recounts the history of printing in Malta. It is made it clear that, despite that printing had originated in Europe since the mid 14th century, during the Order’s stay at Birgu between 1530-1572 there were no printing presses. This went on for many years even after the Order’s transfer to Valletta. In 1642 an attempt was made by Grand Master Lascaris to introduce printing, but his plans crushed against the thorny problem of censorship. It was only in 1756 that the first state press was inaugurated.
Sotto il cielo di Roma
This was the title of a two-series television drama produced by RAI UNO. The story centres on the persecution of the Jews during World War II in Rome and the role which the Vatican played to mitigate the suffering of the Jewish community. The story showed the horrors of the Allied bombings on Rome which hit the Quartiere San Lorenzo where the ancient basilica of San Lorenzo Fuor le Mura received a direct hit and was partly destroyed. The film showed Pope Pius XII leaving the Vatican, the first time that the Pope dared quit theVatican since the Unification of Italy, and joined the war victims in open-armed prayer.
The Notorial Archives and post 1530 Birgu
For many years the Notorial Archives lay neglected and in a degrading condition within a dilapideted palace at St Christopher Street, Valletta. Thanks to the enthusiastic initiative of Joan Abela, who is studing for her Ph D in history, and a team of collaborators, the slow process of conserving the archives and the structure that hold it has been taken in hand. The documents now offer a immense wealth of information on the collective memory of the Maltese nation starting from the early 16th century. Joan Abela delivered a lecture on the work she is doing, and on the invaluable knowledge to be derived from a study of such contracts. For her discussion she selected a number of deed dealing with corsairing and the lucrative business of slavery. All the deeds mentioned showed how Birgu, after the Order’s arrival, transformed itself into a hub of martime and commercial activity. These deeds reveal, for instance that the Order did not have a monoply on shipping: there were Maltese ship owners who chartered their ships to third parties. Among these one finds a deed of 1538 executed at Birgu in which three knights, one of whom was later to become Grand Master La Vallette, hired a ship for the purpose of piracy, which was a licensed form of business for many years well into the 18th century.
Pauline cult at Birgu
Victor Mallia-Milanes’ latest publication is about churches and chapels in Malta dedicated to St. Paul and is printed at the Libreria Editrice Vaticana. The author replicates a medieval chapel dedicated to St Paul existed in the Grand Harbour. It appears that, as also contended by historian Stanley Fiorini, that this chapel was situated where the church of St Paul at Cospicua now stands. In medieval times this area was still sparsly inhabited and it formed part of the Birgu parish. It is conjectured that there was an association in the collective memory of the medieval period of this chapel and the departure of St Paul from Malta. It is to be noted that this tradition was immortalised in Kilin’s Maltese novel Tinsiex Publius Tinsiex about St Paul’s stay in Malta in AD 60 and in which St Paul departs board the vessel on his way to Rome from the harbourtown of Purgos. At present day Vittoriosa, St Paul is represented in the church of St Lawrence in a an oval marble alto relief in the side chapel of the Holy Crucifix. There is also Lorenzo Gafa’s statue of St Paul on the facade of the church.
La Divina Commedia
Dante’s monumental book was some years ago translated into Maltese verse by Alfred Palma. Now actor and producer Mario Micallef has single-handedly put up this splendid translation in a one act performance at St James Cavalier, demonstrating his versatility and formidbale memory. The drama was enhanced by several non-speaking characters taken from the book. The work is divided in broadly divided into three parts: L’Inferno, Il Purgatorio, Il Paradiso. It should be stated that in the Canto IV of Il Paradiso, Dante mentions St Lawrence. Dante praises St Lawrence’s strong willingness to suffer in the face of physcal violence when on the gridiron.
Historic public transport reform contract signed at Vittoriosa
After many attempts throughtout the years to reform Malta’s public transport, at last this will happen in 2011. The government has reached agreement with a Danish company, Arriva, to overhaul the transport with the introduction of new buses and a more user friendly service. The signing ceremony took place at Vittoriosa Marina, with a specimen of the new buses in the background, just beneath Fort St Angelo.
Two Vittoriosa war time veterans remembered
During this year’s War Memorial Celebrations, the story was recalled of two Vittoriosa brothers, Joseph Camilleri, who later changed his surname to Borda, and Tony Camilleri. The former formed part of the US Navy and served in World War II, when he was in the thick of the war duering the D-Day invasion at Normandy; he later served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He is now retired in the US. His brother Tony, nicknamed Il-Kulka. is remembered for his heroic bravery when saving many lives after the British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous was torpedoed by a German U-Boat in the North Sea in 1940: He took charge of a lifeboat from the accompanying merchantship Dido and made two trips, rowing through the huge waves, picking striken sailors on board from the sinking vessel and delivered them to safety. When he return to Malta on his retirement, the Histroical & Cultural Society pleaded with the Naval authorities to honour Tony Camilleri for his brave deeds duringthe war. He died several years ago. The story of the two Vittoriosa brothers was recounted in The Sunday Times.
Great Siege bastions face uncovered
The extensive restoration works under way on the Vittoriosa fortifications under the EU – Malta government financed restoration project includes the construction of an arch joining the wall of the Post of Provence which had been ruptured during the post-war reconstruction to make way for Boffa Road. As the walls were being prepared to lay the foundations for the archway, the face of the medieval Birgu bastions, which was actually the bastion existing during the Great Siege, was uncovered. These bastions were reconstructed during the 17th century under architect Mondion’s supervision.
St Lawrence Band November-December 2010 newsletter
As a homage to Dr Joseph Saliba who passed away during November, the front page of the magazine carries of picture of the painting of St Lawrence which he had painted and presented as a gift to St Lawrence Band in 1983 on its first centinary. Historian Anton Attard writes about the various natural water spring that existed at Vittoriosa and were recorded in a 16th century report written by the Grand Prior of Auvergne. In contrast he mentions the numerous public water taps that were installed in different streets in post-war Vittoriosa when the water service was in disarray due to the war damage. Lorenzo Zahra writes about Pope Benedict XVI’s thoughts about St Lawrence and the instances he mentioned him lately in his speeches. In his usual interview with people from Vittoriosa, Paul Micallef this time meets the venerable bandsman Giovanni Pisani, nicknamed, id-devernier. Indeed he is venerable, having been uninterruptedly a bandsman for the past 62 years with the St Lawrence Band. He has fond memories of his music teacher, Mro Pacifico Scicluna and the programmes he performed under Mro Hector Dalli. Besides being a bandsmand, Giovanni was a respected carpenter who produced works for St Lawrence Church and St Lawrence Band Club. The magazine concludes with an appreciation, written by Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici LLD. MP, on Lorry Farrugia, ex-bandsman of the St Lawrence Band who died last summer.
Successful historic St Lawrence Band Musical Tour of Brussels
2010 will go down in the history of the St Lawrence Band as a golden year: the Band together with a contingent of supporters, for the fourth time in its history, left Maltese shores and travelled to Brussels. The Band had been to Catania in 1903, Messina and Palermo in 1904, and Tunis in 1927. The visit to Brussels reciprocated the visit for the feast of St Lawrence this year of the Philharmonic Royale Concordia of Belgium which was hosted by the St Lawrence Band. During the week-long stay in Brussels in December 2010, the Band played three programmes, one of which in one of the Malta House for various EU personalities and members of the Maltese community in Brussels. For this concert, the guest of honour was the Maltese Ambassador to Belgium, H.E. Mr. Pierre Clive Agius. The concert included not only classical pieces but also Maltese folk music and Christmas carols. The band was directed by the energetic Mro. Paul Schembri.
Concert for charity at De La Salle College
Representative from the two band committees of Vittoriosa joined forces and organised what was called Concert Nobil, a talent evening at De La Salle College, Vittoriosa, with the participation of bandsmen, singers and dancers. The initiative was intended to raise funds to save the life of a young mother of two small boys from Vittoriosa. The music was coordinated by Mro. Emanuel Spagnol.
50th anniversary from the inauguration of the Annunciation Church
The Domenican Community this year commemorated the 50th anniversary from the inauguration and consecration of the Annunciation Church in 1960 after it was rebuilt following its destruction during the war. Various celebrations were held throughout 2010. The festivities were brought to a grand conclusion by the singing of a Pontifical Mass on 2 December 2010 by H.E. Mons Paul Cremona O.P. Archbishop of Malta. This was followed by a Musico-litterary evening organised by the Prince of Wales Own Band. The Band also paid tribute to Mro Emanuel Costantino on the occasion of the 25th anniversay from his demise.
First Maltese stamp in cover to Vittoriosa
Well-known historian and philatelest Carmel Bonavia recalled the issue 150 years ago of Malta’s first half-penny posage stamp, showing the engraved profile of the young Queen Victoria. The stamp was issued on 1 December 1860. In his article, the author reproduces a cover addressed to a certain Dr. Pirotta from Vittoriosa bearing the stamp and postmarked 8 February 1861, just 39 days after its issue. Vittoriosa was among the cities where a wall-type letterbox was installed.
Joe Gellel passes away
The feast of St Lawrence at Vittoriosa will miss Joe Gellel who passed away suddenly in December 2010. Besides his love for his family, Joe dedicated his energies to the feast of St Lawrence. Since the 1950s he has been the master tailor of the beautiful red and yellow pavaljuni and bandalori for which the feast of St Lawrence at Vittoriosa is famous. He would spend days and nights sewing flags and street decorations, and all on a voluntary basis. The funeral mass at St Lawrence Church, attended by a crowd of mourners, was said by the Rev. Archpriest, Can Joe Caruana, accompanied by various priests from Vittoriosa.
Medieval Archives at the Mdina Cathedral Museum
Mr Lino Bugeja’s article in The Sunday Times of Malta on the above topic highlights the importance of the Mdina Cathedral Archives which house the comprehensive records of the Inquistion in Malta. These were transferred from the Inquisitors Palace at Vittoriosa to the Cathedal upon the abolition of the Inquisition in 1798 by Napoleaon. The Archives also containe priceless medieval mandati – minutes and proceedings of meetings and authorisations for services rendered. According to the author, one such mandatum indicates that the Birgu local government or Universita’, already existed in 1538 when up to now it was thought to have been founded in the late 1550s.
A bomb disposal hero from WWII
The brave deeds pf Lt-Cdr William Ewart Hiscock, a veteran from WWI and a hero of WWII are remembered in an article by Denis Darmanin in The Sunday Times of Malta. Hiscock was posted in Malta and risked his life in numerous occasions defusing bombs and mines. He is buried in the Kalkara Naval Cemetery.
St Lawrence Church major restoration projects
The Archpriest and Collegiate Chapter of St Lawrence have embarked on challenging restoration initiative on the Church of St Lawrence. Indeed, three projects are involved major restoration works: the repair of the rosso perlato marble church columns; the maintenance of the bells; the replacement of balusters of the southern belfry. A plea has been made to parishioners and admireres for donations and contributtion.
Maltese bishop dies in Austalia
Mgr Joe Grech, Bishop of Sandhurst, Australia, since 2001, went to meet the Risen Christ on Christmas Eve, at the age of 62. He was ordained priest in 1974 and proceeded to Australia where he worked among the Maltese community. He was active in the Charismatic Renewal. He was last in Malta in October 2010. He hails from Balzan but his parents were from Vittoriosa.
Evidence of Christianity’s survival during the Arab occupation of Malta
The controversy still rages on: Prof. Wettinger, in a lecture held at the Auberge de Castille, continues to instit that following the Arab occupation of Malta in AD 870, the Island was for a time uninhabited and if any inhabitants remained, they converted to Islam. The re-conversion of Christianity, according to Wettinger, took place after the Norman Conquest in the12th century. On the other hand, Prof. Fiorini, in a subsequent lecture held at the Archbishop’s Curia, reiterated what he, together with Prof. Busuttil and Mr H.C. Vella, contend in their recent publication Tristia ex Melitogaudo: that Christianity did survive in Malta during the Arab period, even if at least in Gozo. During the same lecture, Mr Dalli from the University of Malta Dept. of History, in his reaction to the lecture, reaffirmed that the Norman Conquest did indeed occur in 1090 and not in 1091 or 1127 has was being proposed. This indeed squares up with what has been traditionally held to have been the foundation year of the Birgu parish church dedicated to St Lawrence.