News
Jul - Sep 2012
www.vittoriosahistorica.org
Pontifical Mass by Cardinal Prospero Grech on St Lawrence Day
Cardinal Prospero Grech other commitments in Malta
St Lawrence Feast Vittoriosa programme booklet
25th Anniversary of Mr Lawrence Farrugia as President of the St Lawrence Band
The cult of St Lawrence
Maltese missionary dies on St Lawrence Day
The Clock Tower – Poems by Dr Louis A. Buttigieg
Feast of St Dominic
Censu Demanuele passed away
Agostino Levanzin remembered
50th anniversary from the death of Dun Gorg Preca
50th anniversary from the death of Sir Paul Boffa
Dom Mintoff passes away
Likeness of Emmanuele Vitale
The theft of Caravaggio’s St Jerome in 1984 recalled
125th anniversary of Mro Lorenzo Gonzi
100 years from the Royal Visit of King George V
Malta Arts Festival 2012 at Vittoriosa
Chiaroscuro art exhibition
Anniversary of new www.Malta.com tourist portal
Malta’s first centenarian couple
Santa Maria accident at Gudja
Santa Maria Convoy – 70th anniversary
Hero who piloted the MV Ohio in Grand Harbour
Solar boat berthed at Vittoriosa marina
Jum il-Birgu
Vittoriosa marks Great Siege of 1565
Vittoriosa Great Siege commemoration on the blog
Laura Battiferra, poetess for the Great Siege
Treasures from the Order of Malta
Relations between the Order of St John and the US
Restoration of the statue of St Catherine
Restoration of the statue of the Redeemer
Painting of St Lawrence meeting Pope Sixtus II
Repair of twelve old armchairs
History of venereal diseases in Malta
Maltese Association of the Order of Malta orchestral charity concert
Restoration works reach Post of Castille
Vittoriosa to twin with St Tropez
HMS Hibernia reference
St Lawrence Antependium
Corpi Santi in Maltese churches
Painting of St Lawrence with St Joseph
Monastery of St Scholastica
Fra Giovanni Matteo Rispoli OP
Antiphones in the liturgy
Book about William Scamp
88 years ago in Ghajnsielem
Fr John Avellino on single mothers
Pontifical Mass by Cardinal Prospero Grech on St Lawrence Day
The feast of St Lawrence this year on 10 August was a unique event: His Eminence Cardinal Prospero Grech, who was elected cardinal earlier this year, returned to his birthplace to celebrate the feast of St Lawrence, together with the Rev. Chapter of the Collegiate Church. He was welcomed at the new Vittoriosa Gate at the top of Main Gate Street by the Mayor, from where he proceeded together with his entourage into the city and to Monastery of St Scholastica where he met the Benedictine nuns. From there he walked processionally, accompanied by clergy, to St Lawrence Church for the Pontifical Mass. The panegyric was delivered by Can. Joe Cilia, Archpriest of Vittoriosa. At the conclusion of the Mass, Cardinal Grech was appointed Honorary Canon of the St Lawrence Collegiate, the Church where he was baptised. The Vittoriosa Local Council then conferred on him the award of Gieh il-Birgu 2012. The Vittoriosa community presented him with a golden pectoral cross as a memento. A marble tablet was inaugurated in one of the church naves to commemorate the occasion. A reception was afterwards held at the Grand Hall of the St Lawrence Band Club. The Band Club had wished to greet the Cardinal on his arrival at Vittoriosa with band marches but this was not permitted by the authorities.
Cardinal Prospero Grech other commitments in Malta
While in Malta for the feast of St Lawrence, Cardinal Prospero Grech had a full programme of activities: he addressed a press conference at Archbishop’s Curia defending the position taken by the Maltese bishops in relation to IVF; he visited id-Dar tal-Provvidenza at Siggiewi; he had a meeting with the Prime Minister at the Auberge de Castille, Valletta.
St Lawrence Feast Vittoriosa programme booklet
Besides the usual review of parish activities and events taking place during the year and the various projects executed, this year’s edition of the programme particurly celebrates the visit of His Eminence Cardinal Prospero Grech. An article by Anton Attard provides a retrospective description of the folklore surrounding the Maltese feasts calendar, with special reference to the traditions, some of which forgetten, connected with the feast of St. Lawrence. On his part in his article, Lino Bugeja describes how the devotion of St Joseph in Malta in the 12th century knows its origin at Birgu. In his message for the feast in the same publication, Lorenzo Zahra reaffirms the age-old belief that the devotion to St Lawrence at Vittoriosa was introduced by Count Roger and not a latter-day bye-product of the Aragonese occupation of Malta. He also writes in Lehen is-Sewwa on the documentary evidence of St Lawrence’s martyrdom on the gridiron, depicted on 4th century coins preserved in the Vatican Museum.
25th Anniversary of Mr Lawrence Farrugia as President of the St Lawrence Band
This year marked the 25th anniversary since Mr Lawrence Farrugia was appointed President of the St Lawrence Band, succeeding Dr Paul Mallia. During his tenure of office the Band club enjoyed effective leadership and organisation. The various initiatives of the club were strengthened and the band club became a veritable hub of cultural and social activities in Vittoriosa. The club premises were greatly ameliorated with artistic decorations, notably the beautiful marble statue of St Lawrence that dominates the club entrance hall. But probably the most outstanding work that he will be remembered for is the magnificent band stand which occupies the central part of Vittoriosa Square during the feast days. The anniversary celebrations included a photography exhibition and a special classic Vocal and Instrumental Concert executed by the St Lawrence Band under the direction of Mro Paul Schembri. This was in addition to the usual Musical Programme held as part of the feast of St Lawrence.
The cult of St Lawrence
Franesco Pio Attard appears in the Gozo St Lawrence Feast programme with an article on the diffusion of the cult of St Lawrence around the world, and how he became patron saint of the librarians and protector of the souls in purgatory.
Maltese missionary dies on St Lawrence Day
The sudden death was announced on 10 August in Acequia Alta, Peru of Fr Frank Cortis of the Maltese Society of St Paul. He served in Peru for 38 years among the poor of the Andes, having been behind the building of a church and a school and the transformation of an abandoned building into an orphanage called Aldea Sagrada Famiglia. It was while playing sports with the children of the orphanage that he died. This was the same institution that was visited this summer by H.E. George Abela, President of Malta, accompanies by a group of 70 youths who went to Peru’ to do voluntary missionary work, an initiative of the President himself.
The Clock Tower – Poems by Dr Louis A. Buttigieg
Dr Louis . Buttiegeg was Vittoriosa DMO after the war. He was particularly fond of Vittoriosa and its historical heritage. He became the first President of the Vittoriosa Historical and Cultural Society when it was founded by Francis Mallia and Lorenzo Zahra in 1954 until his premature death in 1963. Besides being a respected physician, he had an admirable aptitude for poetry, publishing most of them in The Times of Malta. His poems have now been lovingly put together by his daughter, Mrs Marie Louise Dimech in a book deservedly entitled The Clock Tower, after one of his best works. Most of the poems are patriotic or with a romantic sentiment. The book is prefaced by a succinct
analytical review by Dr Carmel Mallia. Lorenzo Zahra wrote an appreciation on the book in The Sunday Times of Malta book review section.
Feast of St Dominic
The Dominican community at Vittoriosa celebrated the feast of St Dominic in the Annunciation Church. The religious celebrations were held by the Prior and the Domenican friars, while the external festivities were led by the Prince of Wales Band of Vittoriosa under the direction of Mro Emanuel Spagnol. In the feast programme, apart from the standard chronicles about happenings during the year, Anton Attard writes a detailed study on the various processional statues of St Dominic used in Vittoriosa over the years, starting from 1849. On his part Lino Bugeja recalls the origin of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary in the old Annunciation Church at Birgu in 1445 and the arrival of the Dominican Order in 1528 after a petition from Birgu residents. He also brings to memory his boyhood as an altar boy in the same church. In a centre-page article on The Sunday Times of Malta entitled Artistic Legacy of the Domeicans a Vittoriosa, Lino Bugeja enumerates the artistic treasures of this church as well as the precious ones lost in the war, including the magnificent ceiling painting by Lazzaro Pisani the Gianbattista Conti’s mural painting on the dome that had been unveiled on the eve of the war.
Censu Demanuele passed away
Censu Demanuele was a much Vittoriosa citizen who dedicated himself to the Dominican tradition and customs in Vittoriosa. His funeral was held at the Annunciation Church, where Mass was said by the Rev. Prior of Dominicans, Fr. Frank Borg OP, assisted by the Archpriest of Vittoriosa, Can. Joe Cilia.
Agostino Levanzin remembered
Lino Bugeja writes in The Sunday Times of Malta on his outstanding forebear, Agostino Levanzin (1872 – 1955). He was born in Cospicua and was related to the famous sea captain Vincenzo Barbara who was Napoleon Bonaparte’s right hand man in the overthrow of the Order’s rule. Levanzin distinguished himself in the medical sphere but was also a linguist, a prolific writer in the Maltese language and also a social commentator. His best selling novel Is-Sahhar Falzun published in 1910 earned him wide popularity. He also published the journal In-Nahla, which highlighted the miserable conditions of the working classes. His most distinguished feat was his 31-day fast in 1912 performed in the Carnegie Nutrition Laboratory in Boston, US, where he had transferred himself to pursue his career. This is recorded in the erudite recent theses entitled The History of Diabetes Mellittus – A Maltese Perspective by Prof. Charles Savona Ventura.
50th anniversary from the death of Dun Gorg Preca
This year was the 50th anniversary of the death on 26 July 1962 of Dun Gorg Preca, the founder the Christian Doctrine Society known as the MUSEUM. Dun Gorg was beatified by Pope John Paul II during his Malta visit in 2001, and was subsequently declared a Saint by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. The Society organised various activities to commemorate the anniversary, culminating in a Solemn Mass, said by Mons Lawrence Gatt at the MUSEUM hall in Blata l-Bajda, in the presence of Dun Gorg’s mortal relics. Vittoriosa was close Dun Gorg and he often visited the city even before the opening of the male section Qasam XIX in 1921, specifically to pay homage to a holy effigy of the Sacred Heart venerated in a private residence. He later often visited the Vittoriosa MUSEUM. Various episodes connected with Dun Gorg at Vittoriosa are recounted in the Ghajn ta’ Gid Li Ssaqqi Belt, the history of the Vittoriosa MUSEUM written and published by Anton Attard in 2001. It is sad and ironic that it had to be on this 50th anniversary that the MUSEUM authorities decided to withdraw their presence from Vittoriosa !
50th anniversary from the death of Sir Paul Boffa
This year also marks the 50th anniversary from the demise of Sir Paul Boffa at the age of 72. He was born in Vittoriosa and militated in the Labour Party to become Prime Minister in 1947. Among his political achievements were the granting to the vote to women over 21, the Old Age Pensions Act and the Income Tax Act, 1948. It was a pity that his Deputy Leader Dom Mintoff clashed with him leading to a split in the party, with Mintoff eventally wresting the leadership and ousting Boffa, who formed the Malta Workers party. Boffa died in 1962, completely cut off from the Labour Party. The anniversary is remembered by an article in The Sunday Times of Malta by Joanne Cocks. The Vittoriosa Local Council mounted a commemorative evening in his honour next to his bronze bust which stands at Couvre Porte, Vittoriosa. The road leading to Vittoriosa from Cospicua across the bridge over the ditch penetrating the Post of Provence is named after him: it was during his premiership that the bridge was constructed.
Dom Mintoff passes away
Malta’s ex-prime minister and former leader of the Malta Labour Party, Dom Mintoff, died at the age of 96. He was bestowed a state funeral with Solemn Mass said at St John’s Co Cathedal, Valletta by Archbishop Paul Cremona. He dominated the Maltese political scene for some 50 years from the post war period. During his premiership social and economic reforms were introduced, even if his style of government was controversial and confrontational. At Vittoriosa his mark is still seen with his idea of the Freedom Monument. It mars the baroque facade of St Lawrence Church and encumbers the wharf with unsightly rustic blocks of stone overgrown with prickly pear bushes, but at least it symbolises the end of the British Naval Era in Malta which saw its onset on the very same Birgu wharf in 1800 and which, ironically, was at the centre of inter-party squabble in 1998 which distanced Mintoff from his party.
Likeness of Emmanuele Vitale
Emmanuele Vitale was one of the heroes who led the Maltese uprising, with the support of the British forces, against the French occupants in 1799-1800. It seems that a postage stamp that was issued by the Malta postal authorities some years back purporting to depict Vitale actually carried the wrong image. This was discovered by Denis Darmanin on the basis of his research of military uniforms. Denis Darmanin is a member of the Vittoriosa Historical & Cultural Society.
The theft of Caravaggio’s St Jerome in 1984 recalled
The spectacular and shocking theft of Caravaggio’s precious St Jerome from St John’s Co Cathedral in Valletta in 1984 by a professional gang of foreign robbers was recounted in a programme entitled Evidenza on a local TV station. One of the main participants in the discussion was no other than Fr. Marius Zerafa who providentially somehow got in touch with the robbers and after difficult negotiations managed to mastermind the retrieval the famous painting. During the programme, Fr. Zerafa made reference to one of the most famous unrecovered stolen works of art, Caravaggio’s Nativity with St. Francis and St Lawrence, stolen from the Oratory of San Lorenzo, Palermo, in 1969. Fr. Zerafa is an art historian and critic specialising in sacred art and was at the time of the occurrence the Curator of the National Museum. Fr. Zerafa is Knight of Grace of the Order of St John and was awarded the Gold Award of the Society of Arts, Manufature and Commerce in 2011 in recognition of his achievements in the local art scene. He was born in Vittoriosa and is a nephew of ex-Prime Minister, Sir Paul Boffa.
125th anniversary of Mro Lorenzo Gonzi
On the occasion of the 125 years from the birth of Mro Lorenzo Gonzi, the Kalkara Sagra Famiglia Band organised a musical academy in St Joseph Parish Church, Kalkara. Mro Gonzi composed the hymn A San Giuseppe in 1908 which is still played to this day. In 1914 he instituted the Orchesta San Giuseppe. He was born in Vittoriosa and received his first musical instruction at the Duke of Edinburgh Band Club, Vittoriosa. His family then moved to Kalkara where he continued successfully in his musical career.
100 years from the Royal Visit of King George V
King George V paid a Royal Visit to Malta in 1912. The Duke of Edinburgh Band, under the direction of Giovanni Giumarra and attired in its magnificent uniform, welcomed the King at the footsteps of Vittoriosa Wharf in front of St Lawrence Church when he visited the city and the installations of the Royal Navy along the wharf. This is immortalised is a period photograph hanging in one of the halls within the band club. Also in the same year, the band moved from its former premises in Desain Street to a bigger house in Brittania Street where it stayed until the acquisition of the present palatial residence in Vittoriosa Square in 1922.
Malta Arts Festival 2012 at Vittoriosa
Three events from this year’s programme of the Malta Arts Festival organised by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts took place at Vittoriosa. The opening event was a recital of Bach highly spiritual and polyphonic Cello Suites by the Italian cellist Enrico Dindo. The concert was held at St Lawrence Parish Church. The second event was a weird and original theatrical presentation by The Rubberbodies Collective, under the direction of Jimmy Grima, entitled The Old Salt: Portrait of Seamen. The show was held at the foot of Fort St Angelo on the Vittoriosa Waterfront, with Valletta and the Grand Harbour in the background. The fantastic idea of the work was sea-inspired and came from 18th century Malta and the maritime bustle around the port. The third event was the presentation of Samuel Beckett’s play Happy Days at Couvre Porte by the Llanarth Group. Following the conclusion of the Arts Festival, yet another musical event took place at Vittoriosa, this time at Inquisitors Palace: a Summer Baroque Concert for flute and harpsichord in which works by Telemann, Handel, Vivaldi, Caccini and Pachel were played.
Chiaroscuro art exhibition
In the wake of Caravaggio is the title of the art exhibition of the Hungarian Tamas Cserna in the internal courtyard of the Inquisitors Palace, Vittoriosa. The large oil paintings are all in the chiaroscuro style. Cserna’s fascination with Caravaggio is evident not only in the choice of title but also in the choice of venue, for Caravaggio roamed the streets of Vittoriosa when in Malta, and was also summoned to the Inquisitor’s Court as a witness on 26 July 1607.
Anniversary of new www.Malta.com tourist portal
The latest version of the tourist portal has been online for a year. The opening picture of the portal is a magnificent view of Vittoriosa Creek showing the yacht marina with St Lawrence Church and the Maritime Museum in the background.
Malta’s first centenarian couple
At 100 years old, both Carm and Dolly Vella have lived through a century of change to make them Malta’s first centenarian couple. Carm is from Cospicua and Dolly from Vittoriosa. Until some years ago they were totally independent living in their apartment in Sliema and are now residing in Casa Leone home for the elderly. A celebration mass, attended by relatives and friends was said by Fr Adrian Caruana Colombo, one of their nephews.
Santa Maria accident at Gudja
A young bandsman was struck by metal debris from an accidental explosion of a makeshift confetti cannon during the Gudja festa of San Maria leaving him and six other people including four children hospitalised. Bjorn Callus, 25, was playing his euphonium as part of the band march. Bjorn Callus is the Secretary of the Vittoriosa St Lawrence Band Committee. He was wished a speedy recovery by friends and admirers of the Band Club.
Santa Maria Convoy – 70th anniversary
This year marked the 70 th anniversary from the arrival of The Convoy that Saved Malta from Surrender. This is the title of the commemorative article in The Sunday Times of Malta by Charles Debono, Curator of the National War Museum, in which he recounts the story day by day of the precarious situation in Malta which was on the edge of starvation in the summer of 1942. In June 1942 Winston Churchill was in Washington and he requested the loan of the tanker SS Ohio and other merchant vessels to form part of Operation Pedestal that was about to set its way from at Britain to Malta’s rescue. The Convoy, after a harrowing voyage at a heavy cost of lives and vessels, limped its way miraculously into Grand Harbour on 15 August 1942, to the delirious cheers of the Maltese lining the ramparts and bastions around the harbour. Significantly, it was the 10 August when the Convoy entered the Mediterranean from the Straits of Gibraltar. In another article entitled, Axis Plan for Invasion of Malta, the same author narrates in detail the plans for the landing in Malta which was to take place in July 1942 and was preceded by heavy air raids. Indeed it is recorded bombing attacks reached their peak in April 1942. It was in that month that Vittoriosa lost its medieval Clock Tower.
Hero who piloted the MV Ohio in Grand Harbour
Lina Brockdorff, writing in The Sunday Times of Malta, recalls to memory the heroism of pilot Wenzu Attard from Vittoriosa who steered the limping half-sunken ship into port. Apparently there was no schedule to indicate whose turn it was to do the job, but Wenzu courageously offered to go himself despite the risk. The feature carries a picture of his portrait as well as a pre-war photograph showing him posing with fellow pilots, including his two brothers, at the Customs House.
Solar boat berthed at Vittoriosa marina
The world’s largest solar-panels operated catamaran MV Turnanor Planet Solar entered harbour and put anchor at Vittoriosa after completing a voyage around the world powered solely by solar energy.
Jum il-Birgu
7 September 2012 was Jum il-Birgu. The Vittoriosa Local Council organised a series of activities for the occasion, culminating in the commemorative laying of wreaths at the foot of the 1565 Victory Monument in Vittoriosa Square. The speech was delivered by Prof. Stanley Fiorini. During the interval, chamber music was played by the Cuerda String Quartet. At the end of the ceremony, the Mayor officially inaugurated the Local Council office at the Auberge de France. On the previous day, a Thanksgiving Mass was said in St Lawrence Collegiate Church in the presence of Vittoriosa Mayor, John Boxall, and representatives of associations and clubs from Vittoriosa. The Kalkara Choir was in attendance. The mass was followed by the blessing of the St Lawrence Church precincts which was the burial place of those who fell on the Birgu walls during the Great Siege. For the first time in many years, the traditional procession with the icon of the Nativity of Our Lady from the Annunciation Church to St Lawrence Church was not held. Other events in connection with Jum il-Birgu consisted of: the launch of an interactive e-book for children entitled Birgu Citta’ Vittoriosa: An Activities Book, which was given as a gift to 6-12 year olds who attended for the launch; and the official announcement of the Local Council’s agreement with the environment organisation Green MT for the inauguration of a clean locality programme by the latter.
Vittoriosa marks Great Siege of 1565
This is the title of the article by Lino Bugeja in The Times of Malta on the occasion of Jum il-Birgu 2012. He comments on the importance of the Great Siege Victory, a turning point in history of Malta which also had consequences on Europe, a victory which was first celebrated at Vittoriosa Square. He states that “this hallowed ground is not so much a city square; it is a state-of-mind, articulating throughout the centuries the most outstanding events in the chequered history of our island”.
Vittoriosa Great Siege commemoration on the blog
While the Great Siege event at Valletta was reported in the press, there was no mention at all about the Vittoriosa commemoration. This instigated Denis Darmanin, Committee Member of the Vittoriosa Historical & Cultural Society, to comment on the omission on The Times of Malta blog
Laura Battiferra, poetess for the Great Siege
In a deeply researched three-part series of studies in The Sunday Times of Malta, Giovanni Bonello writes about the brilliant literary achievements of a 16th century Florentine intellectual and poetess who in her verse showered praise on the Order of St John’s 1565 Great Siege epic. It was a remarkable achievement for a woman to stand out culturally at a male-dominated epoch. Yet, she was outshined by her husband, Bartolomeo Ammanati, a distinguished artist and sculptor of the High Renaissance generally remembered by his famous work, the Biancone fountain of Neptune in Piazza della Signoria, Florence. Battiferra exchanged correspondence with a Knight of Malta, Fra Annibale Caro, a leading man of letters. Her poems include four sonnets about the Great Siege. She did not write about the warfare and turmoil of the siege but sang the chants of victory, extolling to a great measure two distinct warriors who were close to her, for their participation in the siege at the helm of the Piccolo Soccorso: Don Garcia de Toledo and Fra Chiappino Vitelli. The poems are preserved at preserved at the Malta National Library.
Treasures from the Order of Malta
A grand exhibition was held between July – September in Moscow by the Kremlin Museums and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and with the collaboration of Heritage Malta. It highlighted important works of art and regalia pertaining to the Order of St John. Fra John Critien, the Knight Resident of Fort St Angelo, was involved in the exhibition organisation and actually presented his own chivalric vestments for display, which prevented him this year from participating as a religious for the Feast of St. Lawrence. The Moscow exhibition will be followed by a similar one in Cracow, Poland.
Relations between the Order of St John and the US
Giovanni Bonello in an article in The Sunday Times of Malta sheds light on a deal that was about to be struck between the Order of St John and the US government during the grandmastership of De Rohan. The Knight of Malta, through the American ambassador in Paris, the future US President James Monroe, proposed in 1794 to use their reputed maritime prowess and the formidable Order’s naval facilities at Vittoriosa to defend American interest in the Mediterranean in return for the US protectorship of the island. This diplomatic attempt fell through, mainly because the conflicting issued between the US and Britain were by then ironed out with the Jay Treaty and therefore the US could henceforward depend on British support. All this took place in the background of the significant role of a French Knight of Malta in the American War of Independence, the Admiral Francois Joseph Paul, Compte de Grasse who joined the French navy after leaving Malta and subsequently found himself one of the leaders of the American insurgence.
Restoration of the statue of St Catherine
In the chapel of St Catherine of Alexandria within St Lawrence Collegiate is the statue of St Catherine. It was made in 1850 by Giuseppe Vella and was placed in the niche constructed in 1880. The statue has been restored by Andrew Bugeja. Vittoriosa has an old traditional devotion to St Catherine as she was considered the protector of caulkers and rope makers, who were numerous in Vittoriosa which housed the head quarters of the Order’s Galley Fleet. They organised themselves in a Confraternity of St Catherine in around 1640. A similar Confaternity was incorporated in Zurrieq in 1652 in the Parish Church dedicated to the saint. Early this year the Zurrieq St Catherine Feast Committee organised a visit to the chapel of St Catherine in St Lawrence Church where mass was said on St Catherine’s altar by Fr. Raymond Cassar.
Restoration of the statue of the Redeemer
Another old statue that was brought back of its pristine beauty is the devout statue of the Redeemer, venerated since over a 100 years in the Dominican Church of the Annunciation.
Painting of St Lawrence meeting Pope Sixtus II
A conservation project on the paintings on the side naves at the Basilica of Xaghra, Gozo, which has been going on for the past six years, is nearing completion. The restorer is Manwel Zammit of Zejtun. Recently he finished working on a cupola with a painting by Virgilio Monti showing St Lawrence’s encounter with Pope Sixtus II.
Repair of twelve old armchairs
Chev. Domenico Azzopardi was a generous benefactor of St Lawrence Church. Among his many donations to the Church was a set of 12 classic leather armchairs that had been placed in the main hall of the Aula Capitolaris. Over the years these armchairs became tattered and unpresentable and had to be stored away. This year they were given a thorough repair and restoration and were used for the first time on the high alter on the occasion of the Pontifical Mass by Cardinal Prospero Grech on St Lawrence Day. After the feast, they were returned to their former place, gracing the Aula Capitolaris.
History of venereal diseases in Malta
The general promiscuity engendered by the lax morals and continued presence of prostitutes and courtesans on the Islands created an ideal environment for the spread of venereal disease. According to C. Savona-Ventura, the author of the book, there is evidence that such diseases afflicted Malta even during medieval times. In 1596 the Order set up a small building known the Falanga adjoining the Sacra Infermeria to accommodate female patients suffering from the disease. It appears that St Jerome was invoked by sufferers, and the author refers to Mattia Preti’s painting of the saint, which was in St Philip’s Church in Vittoriosa, wher St Jerome is represented with the trumpet, the symbol of the disease.
Maltese Association of the Order of Malta orchestral charity concert
The SMOM in its present day shape continues as an international organisation to act as a philanthropic body offering help to the sick and the needy in 120 countries. The concert was held at St John’s Co cathedral to raise funds for its various initiatives, among which the annual pilgrimage of the sick to Lourdes. This year a special event was held at Vittoriosa where members of the Order brought wheelchair bound infirm pilgrims to Vittoriosa for the procession of Our Lady of Sorrows, following Holy Mass at St Lawrence Church led by Archpriest Joe Cilia.
Restoration works reach Post of Castille
As the project for the restoration of the fortifications continues, the works have now reached the Post of Castille, Vittoriosa. These old bastions, since probably four centuries, have never been repaired. The sight of scaffolding being put up on walls rising from the sea is spectacular. Resources Minister George Pullicino took the press for a boat trip around the harbour. He stated that at the stretch of space that has been cleared at the foot of the Post of Castille, a themed park is planned.
Vittoriosa to twin with St Tropez
Vittoriosa Mayor John Boxall announced that the Vittoriosa Local Council is seeking to conclude a twinning agreement with St Tropez, the French Riviera port in South France associated with famous and wealthy guests. The object is to twin the once neglected but recently regenerated Vittoriosa marina with this exclusive resort, expecting to benefit from the St Tropez brand. The twinning idea was born a couple of years back through former Maltese Ambassador of France Mark Miggiani, and Ambassador Pierre Clive Agius has continued in his predecessor’s footsteps. Mr Boxall was recently invited by St Tropez Mayor Jean-Pierre Tuveri for preliminary discussions.
HMS Hibernia reference
In one of his periodical biographical episodes recounted in Lehen is-Sewwa under the heading Mill-Hazna tat-Tifkiriet, Dr Joseph Micallef Stafrace made reference to HMS Hibernia when explaining the meaning of the Maltese expression bahri tal-Arbanija. A number of naval recruits never actually ventures out on the high seas as their job was land based, forming part of the Malta Port Division. In the early years of the British naval presence in Malta, HMS Hibernia was an old timber galleon that was stripped off its equipment and berthed permanently alongside Fort St Angelo, serving as a maintenance depot. The sailors employed on it never actually had duties outside the harbour.
St Lawrence Antependium
Treasures of Malta, Vol. XVIII, No. 3, issue 54 features a short historical note written by Lorenzo Zahra on the old artisitic silver altar front, or antependium, which adorns the high altar during the feast of the patron saint. This consists of an oval medallion in the centre depicting in bas relief Mattia Preti’s altarpiece showing the martyrdom of S Lawrence, held by two female figures representing Faith and Fortitude. It was made by Giovanni Lasignani of Valletta in 1735 and the benefactor was Teresa Falzon Dorell. During the war it was reduced to smithereens but was salvaged and patiently reconstructed by silver craftsman Carmelo Pace.
Corpi Santi in Maltese churches
Also in the same issue of Treasures of Malta is an article by Giovanni Bonello on the devotion to Santa Liberata in the Capuchin church of Kalkara, whose corpo santi, the skeletal relic of the saint was brought from Rome in 1750 and was transported processionally from St Lawrence Church Vittoriosa. The author finds a parallel devotion to the same saint but under a different guise. Lorenzo Zahra is featured in the Nicolo’ Isouard Band Sta Maria programme with an article of corpi santi in Maltese churches.
Painting of St Lawrence with St Joseph
In this year’s issue to the St Joseph Feast celebrated in Kalkara, there is an article on the glory of St Joseph. The article is accompanied by several photographs, of which one shows a painting of the glory of St Joseph. St Joseph is seen with St Louis Gaonzga, St Lucia, St Anthony of Padova and St Stanislau Kosta.
Monastery of St Scholastica
The Benedictine monastery of St Scholastica at Vittoriosa was the subject of one of the editions of the TV programme X’joffri l-Kunvent. The programme features the secluded yet peaceful and saintly life followed by the 15 nuns who reside in the convent and how they spend their time living up to their motto: ora et labora (praying and working). The monastery is a large old building that served as the Sacra Infermeria of the Order of St John upon their arrival in Malta in 1530 and soon after settling in Birgu as their headquarters. The Order vacated the building after they moved to Valletta and subsequently, with the consent of the Grand Master, the Benedictine nuns moved into the building which they have occupied uninterruptedly for 380 years. During the programme, George Agius, a MUSEUM member from Vittoriosa, gave an overview of the nunnery’s history. The Monastery’s website is: www.sorijietbenedittini.com
Fra Giovanni Matteo Rispoli OP
He was a 17th century Dominican theologian from Senglea who after achieving fame as a scholar in Rome and Paris, was for a time posted at the Vittoriosa Dominican Convent from where he nurtured a close friendship with the Inquisitors. He died after delivering the Lenten sermons in Catania where he was buried. An article about him written bt Fabian Mangion appeared in the Vittoriosa St Dominic feast programme.
Antiphones in the liturgy
Christopher Bonnici wrote a feature on antiphones in the annual leaflet published by Andrew Zarb of Vittoriosa for the occasion of the feast of St Lawrence. The author traces the origin of antiphones back to the Middle Ages in the form of chants derived from the psalms and how they developed into formal hymns. Mention is made of the popular St Lawrence antiphones written by Can. Alwig Fenech and by Mro Carlo Diacono.
Book about William Scamp
Conrad Thake has written a biography, published by Midsea Books, about William Scamp, the architect of the British Admiralty in the 19th century, He was active in Malta during the years 1841 – 1845. It was during this period that he that he constructed Paul’s Anglican Cathedral at Valletta but he is mostly remounted for the building now occupied by the National Maritime Museum It was used a the Naval bakery and was erected on the site of the Order’s galley arsenals. While in Malta he had his office and residence within the former Palace of Director General of the Fleet, now the Casino’ di Venezia. For this reason this building was also known as Scamp Palace.
88 years ago in Ghajnsielem
Lorenzo Zahra in a short note in the Gozo Our Lady of Loreto feast progamme recalls the events on 14 September 1924 when a large crowd from Vittoriosa crossed over to Ghajnsielem for the feast of Our Lady. It marked the laying of the foundation stone of what was to be the majestic neo-gothic parish church. The solemn mass was celebrated by the Chapter of St Lawrence Collegiate and the church orchestra was in the hand of Vittoriosa maestro di cappella Can. Raphael Mazzelli. The Duke of Edinburgh Band of Vittoriosa also attended playing band marches.
Fr John Avellino on single mothers
Fr Avellino, interviewed by The Times of Malta, thinks that young teenage girls end up as single mothers because they do not realise the implications of motherhood. They think of the baby as a doll. Fr. Avellino argues more needs to be invested in educating them. It is not the first time that Fr. Avellino commented on social issues: last year he was interviewed in It-Torca about modern poverty in the Cottonera. Fr. Avellino was the editor of the church-run digital newspaper Gensillum, which stopped circulation in September 2012. He has now been promoted to a senior post within RTK, the church radio station.