Maltavoyager.com - Special Feature

Good Friday and Easter in Birgu

The Good Friday procession in Birgu used to take part before 1749/50, this procession was not complete with the statues as we know it today. Since 1975 this procession in Birgu has taken a form of a pageant with the traditional unique statues including personages dressed in robes of biblical characters of both Testaments. Very recently in 1999 even women took part on show with these beautiful robes in the procession. The earlier statues that were brought from Spain were the responsibility of Maltese seafarers after seeing Good Friday processions in Barcellona Spain with statues dressed in real attire in a Spanish style. They were so impressed with the statues that they brought over some like them to Malta in Birgu.

The Good Friday procession is a liturgical activity to commemorate the Passion and Death of Our lord Jesus Christ, this solemn and mourning event changes to a real joy on the Resurrection of Christ because Easter is the climax of this great event.

Four types of Processions

During the Good Friday Week in Birgu used to organize four types of processions and these used to start from different churches and chapels. The first one used to take place on Holy Wednesday and started from Mount Carmel church at the wharf. This procession was known as the Black Procession because the seamen employed with the fleet of the Order of the Knights took part in it. They accompanied with black attire and with faces concealed, this was the sole reason why the name Black Procession was organized. The crews of the Order’s galleys took part in this procession. There used to be included baptized slaves, forzati and even condemned individuals for any crime wearing and dragging a chain. In fact this had been the origin of the practice that survived to this day with penitents in the procession dragging by each heel a heavy length of iron chain.
Another procession used to start from the Annunciation church on Maundy Thursday, and on Good Friday two other processions used to take part, one started from the Greek chapel and in the evening another one took part and used to start from the Parish church of St Lawrence. The chapel of the Greek community was dedicated to Our Lady of Damascus where today stands the Church Museum in the oratory of St Joseph. All these processions do not take part any more today and they stopped functioning in 1869 and today only one is left, the one from the Parish church.

Good Friday statues in the Parish

The whole set of statues in Birgu consists of nine statues including the Risen Christ, some are slightly different than the others because of their Spanish origin, they are unique in Malta because they have real cloth made of rich velvet, silk and satin. The sequence of how they take part in the procession is as follows:

Agony in the Garden
Scourging at the Pillar
Crowning with Thorns
The Redeemer
The Veronica
Crucifixion
Christ Dead
Our Lady of Sorrows

The Veronica

Very little is known about this statue, it was brought from Spain in the second half of the 18th century, artist is unknown and no dates are available. This statue depicts a woman dressed in Jewish attire. This statue is the original and it is still how it came to Malta from Spain, it was unchanged.

Crucifixion

Very little is known about this largest statue in the whole set, it consists of four figures. This was also brought from Spain in the same period of that of the Veronica. The Crucifix in this statue was made in Milan in 1826. Most probably this was the first statue from the whole set that was imported from Spain. The four figures represent Christ on the cross, Our Lady of Sorrows, St John the Evangelist and Mary of Magdala.

Our Lady of Sorrows

Likewise little is known about this statue, it was brought in the same period as the previous two statues mentioned above. In this statue St John was made by a local unknown artist in 1906, it replaced a small angel holding a crown made of thorns.

Agony in the Garden

The actual period this statue was made in is also unknown, both the head and hands of Christ were made of stucco. The artistic work was recently compared with that of Giacomo Serpotta, others claim that the head was made by Melchiorre Gafa`, a famous sculptor from Birgu, the brother of Lorenzo the architect of the Parish church. The angel in this statue was made by Giuseppe Caruana in 1946. This was made instead of another by Giovanni Darmanin of Valletta, that was broken during World War II.

Scourging at the Pillar

This is an artistic statue by Salvu Psaila from Cospicua, it is made of wood in 1831. This is one of the most beautiful statues in the whole set showing Christ being scourged at the pillar. It was artistically painted and decorated by Don Joseph Calleja, it depicts in detail Christ’s physical state after flagellation during His Martyrdom. In 1964 this statue was restored again by Mr Apap.

Crowning with Thorns

This is also an artistic statue made of wood by Salvu Psaila in1832. It was made instead of an older one that is now placed in a niche in St Anne’s church known as Santa Scholastica by the locals. The present one represents Christ resting and almost sitting on a pillar and crowned with thorns wearing a velvet cloak on His shoulders and holding a silver rod. This rod will be replaced by a gold one for the procession. This statue was also restored and given a suffering expression by Don Joseph Calleja.

The Redeemer

This is an image of Our Lord Jesus Christ which is venerated throughout the Maltese islands. This particular statue was made of papier mache` with a red robe by Carlo Darmanin of Senglea in 1865. During the Holy Week and in the procession it will be dressed in a robe made of velvet. This statue was also made to replace an older one which was brought from Spain. The older one was given back to its benefactors but nobody knows what happened to it. the present cross of this statue was made of wood and encased with ebony sheeting.

Christ Dead

This statue is known as the “Monument” by the Maltese. This word is derived from the Latin Monumentum that means a tomb. The statue of Christ dead is an artistic masterpiece by Wistin Camilleri. The bed is of great importance in history since during the occupation of the Knights the bed was used regularly by the Knights. Dead bodies of prominent personalities like Bailiffs, Grandmasters, Priors, on occasions even Bishops used to be carried on it. In 1793 Gaetan Nicholas worked on the ornaments in silver ‘a martello’. The bed was made in 1750 by Philip Vella, and the silver work was made on a wooden frame by Angelo zarb also ‘a martello’ . In 1950 this was restored by Carmel Pace F’araud paid for by Chev Domenico Azzopardi.

Resurrection of Christ

This statue was made by Salvu Psaila in 1833, this is carried in the procession which takes place in the joyous morning of Easter Sunday every year through the principal streets of Birgu. This procession of the Risen Christ in Birgu was initiated by the Greek Papas in Birgu. The Papas used to give hard-boiled eggs to children and adults. In Malta this custom was replaced by the traditional figolla which eventually also started in Birgu. This present statue of the Risen Christ replaced an older one. During the French occupation 1798-1800 in Malta before 1800 the Order’s standard (a white cross on a red background) was replaced by a palm in Christ’s hand. This was a precaution not to offend the French that were the greatest enemies of the Order of St John. The palm was more suitable because it symbolized Christ as a victim and Martyr. One will wonder how the tradition of joy during Easter in Birgu started. Devotion of the Risen Christ was well known here among the Greeks (Rhodians) who came with the Knights from the island of Rhodes in 1530 because they were forced out by the Ottoman Empire in 1522.

Traditional Runs

The traditional runs by enthusiasts with the statue of the Risen Christ during the procession of Easter Sunday, were originated in the beginning of the 19th century. It was the first British Governor Sir Thomas Maitland who introduced a clause for a limited time of the procession, so that the statue does not linger outside more than the stipulated time enforced by him. If the procession took unnecessary time in the streets and goes beyond the limit the committee would be fined. However, this was the main reason why enthusiasts run occasionally through the streets in Cottonera to avoid wasting time and at the same time they cover more streets as much as they could with the time provided.

Today these traditional runs in Birgu are made about six or seven times, obviously the reason today is totally different, the law and all the past precautions taken to avoid a penalty were changed into a tradition.

Good Friday & Easter public activities to be held in Birgu

Last Supper Display (oratory of the Holy Crucifix)
Good Friday statues exhibition (under St Lawrence church at the wharf)
Last Supper Display (in the charnel - house of St Lawrence church)
Getsemani exhibition (St Lawrence Band Club Victory Square)
Biblical characters Display (in the Large Ditch organized by the Local Council)
All Good Friday statues of the parish will be exposed in the church by Palm Sunday)
Good Friday procession starts at 5.30 from St Lawrence church.
Easter procession with the statue of the Risen Christ starts at 10 am Easter Sunday, ends approx 1 pm.
The Quaranta Ore (40 hours adoration) starting at 10 am on Palm Sunday, ending on Holy Wednesday after the 6 o’clock mass in the evening.

St Lawrence Collegiate church

This beautiful and historic church was completed in 1696 and the primitive one known as San Lorenzo-a-mare was made the first Conventual church of the Order of St John when Grandmaster L’isle Adam declared it as the Conventual church of the Knights and it had served them for 41 years from 1530 to 1571 until the Knights were transferred to the new capital city Valletta. In 1574 the first Inquisitor with a tribunal from the palace in Birgu, Pietro Dusina declared it as the Parish of the Apostolic Delegates and Inquisitors and had served the Delegates for 224 years from 1574 to 1798 until the institution was abolished by the French under Napoleon Bonaparte.

Foundation stone in May 1681 by Bishop Michele Giloramo Molina.
Inauguration in August 1697 by Bishop Davide Cocco Palmieri.
Consecration in 1723 by Bishop Baldassar Gori Mancini.

Erected to the dignity of a Collegiate in 1820 by Pope Pius VII during the bishopric of Ferdinando Mattei.

This temple suffered great damages during World War II. The greatest ones were on 16th January 1941, the first raid by Nazi on HMS Illustrious when the church lost its sacristy, Chapter Hall and many important documents left by the Knights. The sacristy and Chapter Hall were both re-built in 1949. On 22nd March of the same year the chapel of the blessed Sacrament was destroyed, and on 4th April 1942 the main dome was destroyed and the church became out of action. The chapel was re-built in 1951 and the dome was re-built in 1952 by Prof. Robert V Galea.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel church

This church is in St Lawrence Str but its façade is at the Birgu wharf. It suffered great damages during World War II and was re-built after the war. It is not used any more as a church. It was first built in 1611 by the Order’s seafarers and the Carmelite friars took care of it. In 1886 it was occupied by the Franciscan nuns that had established a convent and a school. They were transferred from the building few years ago and went to Hamrun.

Holy Trinity church

This church was built in 1462 by the noble de Guevara and was at first dedicated to Our Lady of Monserrat, it was restored in 1784 by the Knights. It was almost destroyed in World War II but re-built in 1964. It is not used for masses today but the members of the Charismatic community make their weekly meetings regularly in it. The street where it was built was called St Anthony Str but now the name was changed and became Centenery Str.

St Philip’s church

This beautiful and modest church was built in 1651 and was first dedicated to Our Lady of the Angels. The congregation was changed to St Philip and had served the Oratorians of St Philip. This church also suffered during World War II, it was restored but today it is used for the requisites for the external decorations for the annual feast of the Patron saint of Birgu, St Lawrence.

Annunciation church

This is another beautiful and large church built in conjunction with the convent serving the Dominican community in Birgu. There was another much more beautiful than this one which unfortunately was lost in World War II on Sunday 19th January 1941 and the Dominicans including the Maltese lost a jewel and a treasure. The Dominican community came to Birgu from Rabat in 1528. The present church was built and inaugurated in 1960. In the older one Inquisitor Fabio Chigi had his first Pontifical in Malta, and he was elected Pope as Alexander VII in Rome. Fabio Chigi was from Siena and was also a Dominican who lived in his palace in Birgu for five years from 1634 to 1639.

The older church was inaugurated in August 1657 and its façade was built in 1642, but the foundation stone was laid in 1639 by Fabio Chigi, a former Inquisitor. The church was restored in 1806 after the damage suffered due to the Polverista explosion at the wharf, and in 1864 other restorations were carried out. It remained without the dome until one was built in 1924 and was designed by architect Gustavo Soler. Many writers attributed the older church to Francesco Buonamici. He was very active in those years in Malta, and according to Leonard Mahoney (the highest authority on ecclesiastical building) even the Inquisitor’s Palace was re-modelled by him in the same period. (see the publication “Churches, Chapels and Oratories in Birgu” by the same auther). The feast of St Dominic is celebrated on the last Sunday of August.

St Anne’s church (Santa Scholastica)

This church is also known as Santa Scholastica or Abazia by the locals. It is the monastery which is dedicated to Santa Scholastica but the church is dedicated to St Anne. It was built close to the Holy Infirmary that was the first military hospital of the Knights of St John built in 1532. The church was built in 1679 by Lorenzo Gafa`, it is in Sta Scholastica Str. Foundation stone was laid by Bishop Mgr Michele Molina on 7th May 1679. Now the Holy Infirmary is serving as a cloister for the Benedictine nuns since 1652 after spending few years in the Magisterial Palace, this palace even belonged to the Governor of Birgu for some years and was even known as the Governor’s Palace. The nuns arrived in it in 1604 when they first came from Mdina. The palace was destroyed during World War II and on its site a block of flats was built. This church is almost rectangular in shape.

St Anne’s chapel Fort St Angelo

This historic chapel is in Fort St Angelo in the upper part of the castle, it was built before the arrival of the Knights but was modified and enlarged by them in 1532. This chapel was built in the mid Renaissance period that served several lords living in the castle. The first Grandmaster of Malta L’Isle Adam declared it as his private chapel during the Order’s reign in Birgu. Today it is occupied once more by the Sovereign Order (SMOM) where the present Grandmaster Fra Sir Andrew Bertie pays regular visits. It was restored in 1994 and is now in a very good state. In it there is a granite column built from the seabed and it was part of a building of a temple built by the Phoenicians. This was the first building ever built in Birgu. This pink Egyptian granite column supporting the ceiling of this chapel is a relic of the ancient ruins seen by Johannes Quintin entrusted by the Knights to give reports about the state of our island before their arrival here. The monument and temple were dedicated to Astarte by the Phoenicians probably in 1400 B.C. but later they were dedicated to Juno by the Romans in 218 B.C. The chapel was built in 1430 by the family de Nava who owned the castle, Castrum Maris until the arrival of the Knights in 1530.

Lost chapels in Birgu

There are other chapels in Birgu that do not exist any more, chapels that were destroyed during World War II or lost through the years, there were others that were put down to build other building in the stead. There was St Anthony’s chapel that was made the Parish of the Knights to assist their Conventual church San Lorenzo-a-mare. This was in St Anthony Str. There were other Greek chapels such as St George’s chapel built by the Greek community, it was in front St Dominic’s convent in Main Gate Str and another was built in Victory Square corner with Hilda Tabone Str, it was dedicated to St Agatha when first built but its congregation was changed later and was dedicated to St Nicholas. Both are remembered by a marble plaque. There was the largest one dedicated to Our Lady of Damascus situated behind St Lawrence church. The oratory of St Joseph was built in 1832 on its site, this oratory serves as the Church Museum today. There is also the Holy Crucifix oratory in the same area known as the Church centre or Church close, this was built in 1720 where the Good Friday statues are kept in their respective niches. The space occupied by this oratory was once a cemetery built by the Knights for the victims of the Great Siege of 1565 and those of the earlier Siege of 1551. St Andrew’s church was also demolished by the Knights to build the five large storage buildings for the arsenals by Grandmaster Carafa at the wharf. This is marked by a Crucifix in a large niche.