Officially, Easter week starts on Palm Sunday and runs to Easter Sunday, 17-24 April 2011. But anyone living in Malta knows that things hot up the week before; the Friday a week before Good Friday is called id-Duluri, or the feast of our Lady Of Sorrow (id-Duluri) which sees crowds slowly and mournfully follow the statue of ‘Our Lady’ in solemn procession. Valletta has the most notable id-Duluri procession.
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The key days of Easter are otherwise the regular ones, but note that Malta doesn’t have a public holiday on Easter Monday.

Maundy Thursday (day before Good Friday)
This day commemorates the Last Supper and is the start of the mourning. You’ll find lots of parishes create representations of the Last Supper and/or the entire Easter story in model form, rather like Christmas crib displays. It’s a tradition on this day for people to visit them as they do their tour round the islands of ‘Altars of Repose’; ideally in seven different churches or chapels. These Altars are elaborately dressed up for the occasion with white flowers – the Mdina Cathedral altar is particularly bedecked. Some parishes will stop their bells on Holy Thursday to replace the regular ringing with a Ċuqqlajta, a clattering wooden ‘gong’ which sounds like a giant football rattle. Zebbug and Siggiewi tend to do this, as do other more tradition-loving or rural parishes.

Girgenti Torchlit Procession on Maundy Thursday – this special event starts off in Siggiewi village square at 8pm and leads on by torchlight out of the village up to Girgenti hill to the Laferla Cross. The last part of the route is a rough steep path along which you’ll find the Stations of the Cross depicted and often scout troops and youth groups enacting tableaux. You jostle in the half dark, miss your footing at times and find people surging downhill contraflow, with baby buggies and more! It certainly is an ‘event’!

Good Friday
Good Friday is the official mourning day so no mass is held though people may go to church to kiss the cross at the time Christ died (3pm). The day is bell-free and silent! But it is the big day of processions. And we mean big. Malta has some spectacular, lengthy and large processions involving casts of hundreds. Some have become main tourist attractions in recent years, with public address systems broadcasting a commentary in several languages. Zebbug in Malta is renowned for its extravagant, almost-passion play style procession. As is Xaghra in Gozo.

The main ones see people dressed as Romans, Jewish priests, disciples, other Biblical figures and country folk like shepherds. You’ll also see people dressed in white cloaks and pointed hoods, covered from head to toe – these are the faceless penitents and are often seen carrying crosses or dragging chains on their feet. The procession usually files out of the church interspersed with men bearing statues and scenes depicting the ‘Passion of Our Lord’. Plan to get to your chosen procession early (they start mid-late afternoon) for a pole position view and plan to stay late if you want to see it all! Processions take place in:

Malta: Birgu (Vittoriosa), Bormla (Senglea), Ghaxaq, Luqa, Mosta, Naxxar, Paola, Qormi, Rabat, Senglea, Valletta, Żebbuġ (Città Rohan) and Żejtun.

Gozo: Nadur, Victoria (St. George Basilica and St Maria Cathedral), Nadur, Xewkija, Qala, Xaghra and Żebbuġ. For detailed info on all Easter events in Gozo, click here.

Easter Sunday
This is a day in total contrast to all that has gone before in Holy Week. A day of celebration of the Risen Christ. The churches are open and special mass takes place – with bells resumed! It’s a day then for family as people flock home to their lavish lunches and, as in much of Christian Europe, the giving of chocolate eggs. Malta has its special Easter cakes – Figolli – which feature all Easter but are often taken as gifts on this day.

The most notable spectacle on Easter Sunday is the celebration of the Risen Christ (L-Irxoxt) in Birgu (Vittoriosa). This sees a group of men (hopefully fit and strong!) make a mad dash uphill bearing what looks like a very heavy statue of the Ascending Christ. It’s a popular event in Malta and draws the tourists too. But do stand well back when the statue rushes up hill to the Square as I saw someone lean forward to take a photo and get nasty surprise, and a near miss from the bearers’ pole.

Photo: courtesy Peter Grima, KnowMalta.

A rare glimpse of Medieval Malta: the gem wayside chapel of Hal-Millieri

Malta has some hidden gems that most island visitors and even us locals miss. Ħal Millieri chapel dating back to medieval times is one of them. Its importance among Malta’s numerous historic sites far outweighs its size. It houses some rare frescoes that were almost lost to time.

For a glimpse of them and an excuse to visit Malta’s south, catch the annual Open Day at Ħal Millieri on Sunday 27 March (9.00 – 18.00), timed to coincide with the celebration in honour of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, the tiny chapel’s patron saint. The chapel is open the first Sunday of every month (09.00-12.00), if you miss the open day event.

A potted history
The chapel of the Annunciation at Ħal Millieri is a prime historical monument of Malta’s medieval past. The present building dates to around 1450, and excavations have shown it to have been built over the site of an earlier, possibly 13th century chapel, and a much older late-Roman rural complex.

The Ħal Millieri chapel is best known for its medieval architectural elements, and more so for the unique set of frescoes which adorn the side walls between the springing of the arches. The anachronistic cycle of effigies of saints, which is believed to have been copied from the earlier primitive chapel, have been expertly restored through the efforts of Din l-Art Ħelwa (an NGO and ‘Malta’s National Trust’), as Malta’s best example of medieval vernacular religious art. For a full history of the chapel, click here.

Open Day Info
Holy Mass will be celebrated at 10:00am, followed by the blessing of the adjoining churchyards. The service will be conducted by Rev. Fr Raymond Cassar. Din l-Art Ħelwa, the volunteer heritage organization that holds the chapel in trust, will be offering two guided tours of the site by historians Dr Stanley Farrugia Randon at 11:00am and Mr Salvator Mousu` at 3:15pm. See also, Din L’Art Helwa.

How to Get There
The chapel can be reached from Imqabba Road at the Żurrieq end of Blue Grotto Avenue, or from Diamond Jubilee Square (tal-Mentna) at the end of the Imqabba bypass.

San Pawl Milqi, rubble or relic? Take a tour and find out...

Guide books never fail to mention the Roman Villa on the outskirts of Mdina, but perhaps just as interesting a Roman site exists in Malta – tucked away in Bumarrad towards the North. But why are we talking about it on the feast of St Paul, a public holiday here?

San Pawl Milqi is the site of a Roman villa which according to tradition is where St Paul was given hospitality following his shipwreck in Malta in AD 60. The chapel standing there dates back to 1616. Archaeological excavations carried out in the 1960s uncovered a large agricultural area dating from the 2nd to 3rd centuries B.C. It has yielded evidence of extensive olive farming and given us greater insight into Roman agricultural settlement of Malta.

As in previous years on the Feast of St Paul on 10 February, Malta’s national agency Heritage Malta will be opening San Pawl Milqi to the public during the afternoon. The site is not normally open to the public. Tours of the site will take place every 45 minutes from 13.30 hrs with the last tour at 16.30 hrs.

Tickets for the event cost Euro 4 each; concessions for students and senior members: Euro 2. Heritage Malta members and children under 12 enter free of charge.

Photo: Heritage Malta.

Five men make light work of a heavy statue or three. Say cheese.

There are 359 churches over 316 sq km in Malta.  That’s 1.14 churches per sq km. I believe that puts Malta slap behind the Vatican in terms of church coverage .  Now consider that we have 1,309 inhabitants per sq km, that 98% of Maltese are baptised Roman Catholic and every village has some band club of sorts and the theocracy maths starts getting complicated.

I live in Siggiewi, right behind the lovely baroque dome of St Nicholas parish church. You cannot get more village hard core than this. If I crane my neck, from my wi-fi station in the garden, the dome soars above the TV aerials and the water tanks and the pigeon coops.

Maundy Thursday is migraine day.   During the day, the bell ringing in incessant, perhaps to encourage visits to the  Last Supper pageant.  In the evening, at exactly 20.23 hrs the bell-ringing is replaced by a loud, relentless rattle.  It’s difficult to describe, except that it’s a horrible, slow, throaty, tuneless sound that could be a large, megaphoned cheese-grater or some special effect from a Hammer Horror film.  It scares the living daylight out of anyone aged 7 or under and means I will not sleep well right up to Easter Sunday, when the bell-ringing will be even more energetic, and hopefully more tuneful.

The second phenomenon is that from Maundy Thursday all the way to the evening of Good Friday, people go on a carcade of seven churches.  If you’re a kid, it’s an interesting ritual if you’re not prone to car-sickness, as you get to visit churches off the beaten track and compare tapestries, statues and overall opulence of the parish your parents happen to hit on.  And if you crash a village at the right time, you can also join the traditional, occasionally gruesome Good Friday procession and meet a Roman centurion or your own personal Jesus.

Add to this fasting, special confectioneries and theories about the weather and you have a uniquely Maltese cocktail of folklore, religion and superstition rolled into one.

I wonder how many people on Good Friday are barricaded like me, in a village core besieged by the madding crowds clocking up the church count, to the backdrop of a grating rattle.

Photo: Andrew Galea Debono

Despite the ravages of time and war, Bir Miftuh is immaculately preserved today

Din l-Art Helwa is an NGO founded in 1965 to safeguard the historic, artistic and natural heritage of Malta. Here, Victor Rizzo, the treasurer of the organisation, kicks off a series about the key cultural heritage properties managed by the organisation in Malta, Gozo and Comino which are open to the public. This piece is about the ancient chapel of Bir Miftuh, which stands opposite Malta International Airport. Glance right as you exit MIA to catch a glimpse of it.

The Chapel of Santa Maria ta’ Bir Miftuh is an outstanding example of medieval architecture. Built almost 600 years ago, it saw the arrival of the Knights, was desecrated by the Turks during the Great Siege of 1565 and suffered bomb damage in the Second World War. Located in Gudja, it is one of the best preserved examples of a parish church of the 15th century. It was declared a parish in 1436 by Bishop Senatore de Mello and served as such until 1676 when the Parish Church of Gudja was built. It was never in the centre of a village but was had parish church status and served several villages.

The chapel is free standing and shows a growing confidence in the handling of stone structures. It is simple and austere in design, with fine pointed stone arches on which rest the long stone roof slabs. It has a plain rectangular plan and measures about 11 by 14 metres.

The chapel was originally larger and built in the shape of a cross. In the 16th century the rear end of the chapel was demolished and the stones were used in the construction of the present parish church of Gudja. An imposing belfry, a 16th century addition, perches proudly over the main doorway. No bells are in place. Legend has it that these bells were hastily buried in the soil during the Great Siege of 1565. They are still waiting to be discovered.

The altar was brought from another chapel and dates from the 16th century. The altar painting is on wood and probably belongs to the second half of the same century and depicts the figure of God holding a Crucifix surrounded by angels at the top of the panel. The lower part shows a hilly landscape with the Virgin and Child on clouds flanked by St Peter and St Paul.

Over the centuries the chapel suffered from neglect and lack of use. It was close to total collapse until the Ecclesiastical Authorities gave the chapel to Din l-Art Helwa in Trust in 1970. Restoration started in 1973 and was generously sponsored by Malta International Airport, which continues to support it to this day.

During restoration, the remains of a fresco covering the wall facing the altar were discovered under thick layers of lime. The fresco depicts the Last Judgment and is divided into three tiers of figures. The upper tier shows the Apostles and Mary with the figure of Christ in the centre. The figures below this tier represent Mary, a hand holding a sword representing St Paul, St James and St Andrew, St Lawrence, St Benedict holding a church model, Peter the Martyr, and possibly St Catherine holding the palm of martyrdom. The figures above this tier show a kneeling saint representing St John the Baptist, four unknown female saints, St Ursula holding a pike-staff and St Barbara holding a model of a round tower.

The second tier shows the damned being led away to the fiery pits of hell by demons with horns, tails and webbed feet. On the left side one can make out the wing of an angel and the back of one of the faithful being drawn towards God and the Virgin Mary.

The lower tier probably depicts the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. On the north wall, in the first bay, there is a picture of a woman, in a costume fashionable in the 16th century, holding a lily in one hand and pointing to the main altar painting with the other.

The frescoes were expertly restored and regular inspections are carried out. Further restoration involved the repair of all walls and a leaking roof. The floor laid in 1942 was replaced with globigerina limestone flagstones, and the exterior areas adjacent to the walls were paved. In 2004, restoration of the churchyard at the back of the chapel was completed.

The Chapel is an ideal setting for the Bir Miftuh International Music Festival held regularly in the Summer by Din l-Art Helwa since 1997. It is open for visitors the first Sunday of the month from 9.30 till noon.

For more details on Din l-Art Helwa, see the website or e-mail info@dinlarthelwa.org

Cappella Sanctae Catherinae: a new choir and old music reviving a gem of a baroque chapel

I’d been meaning to go to a concert at St. Catherine of Italy Church for a while.   I was coerced today by my seven year-old, who’d been to a concert a couple of Sundays ago and loved it.

You have to visit a church like St Catherine’s to get a sense of Valletta’s baroque splendour.  Even among the scaffolding of a full-scale restoration project, there is much to feast your eyes on:  the elegant semi-circular windows, the  portico and the dome characteristic of the Italian architect Romano Carapecchia, responsible for the reconstruction of the church in 1713-14.

Cappella Sanctae Catherinae, Malta’s first all-male voice choir, chose their name because two of their number, Fabio Billi and Giuseppe Agulli, are actually restorers at the church.  For their first outing, coinciding with Malta’s Republic Day, the nine-men choir chose pieces from Palestrina and Asola. There’s something quite magical about the timbre of the male voice singing cappella music in the intimate space of St Catherine’s. There were moments, during the concert, when you could close your eyes and easily lose yourself in the intricate mesh of altos, tenors, baritones and basses.

If you want to have a taste of what Cappella Sanctae Catherinae sound like, see below. This is definitely a choir to watch out for, irrespective of whether you’re a lover of classical music or are just interested in exploring new genres of music. The lunchtime concerts at St Catherine’s continue to offer much to savour. By paying your €5 donation, you’ll be supporting the arts in all senses – those who volunteer the music, and the restoration of St Catherine’s. Fabio, Giuseppe and their colleagues have another solid year of painstaking restoration to go. After which, you’ll be able to feast your eyes upwards to what is apparently a unique style of cupola fresco by Mattia Preti and school.

Cappella Sanctae Catherinae from Malta Inside Out on Vimeo.

Just over the garden wall - you're never far away from religion in Malta

There’s no better time to dwell on religion in Malta than in the lead up to Christmas when Christian iconography is everywhere. OK, what topics are we supposed to avoid at polite dinner parties – religion and politics? Well, first up this piece isn’t about a particular point of view; it’s meant more as a round-up of some facts about Malta’s dominant religion Roman Catholicism, and some of the more recent issues that have surfaced regarding church, state, and public sentiment on religion. It should provide some insight for anyone thinking of moving here, whatever religious background, if any, they have. It is meant to set the scene. We’ll be doing an article on places of worship for other religions soon. Meanwhile, here goes…

Setting the Scene
In Mdina yesterday on a family walkaround, my seven-year-old son noticed a large crib on display outside the Natural History Museum, just near the city gate. I barely gave it a glance, while he inspected it closely. “Mummy, baby Jesus is missing!” he exclaimed. Yes, there were Mary and Joseph glancing lovingly down at an empty nest. I jokingly thought perhaps someone had stolen it (apparently, that happened to some town cribs last Christmas, I’ve since learned). “No Mummy”, he said, “King Herod’s had him killed.”

This rather gruesome thread to the nativity story is not something that featured in my religious teaching at school (Church of England) until I was probably a bit older. It’s called ‘age appropriateness’. But my son, born and brought up here, has known about King Herod’s edict since age three, and his nursery school years. It did upset him then.

Similarly, the children (aged then 6 and 9 yrs) of a close UK friend of mine were very perturbed by some graphic statuary in the Inquisitor’s Palace in Birgu when we went round the museum. You forget, if you are living here, how common place Roman Catholic religious symbolism is – statues, bleeding heart paintings, crucifixes and so on. It’s up close and personal from the moment a child is born.

And these symbols feature very prominently in even the most secular of moments. I attended a parents’ information morning at my son’s school, which started with a teacher saying a prayer and crossing herself while those congregated joined in. I asked her not to at the next session – quite frankly, I couldn’t see why religion was needed on this secular occasion. I was, it has to be said, the only one who objected.

This episode somewhat mirrors those that led to the recent European Court of Human Rights ruling that Italy should remove crucifixes from classrooms. The court said the practice violated the right of parents to educate their children as they saw fit, and ran counter to the child’s right to freedom of religion. The case was brought by an Italian mother, Soile Lautsi, who wants to give her children a secular education. Needless to say, this incident in neighbouring Italy, and a recent move by Spain to follow suit in removing crucifixes has been keenly followed and debated here in Malta.

Before I go further with some examples of the debates, let’s look at some facts, as well as they can be documented:

The Constitution of Malta & Roman Catholicism
The constitution provides for freedom of religion, but establishes Roman Catholicism as the state religion.

Facts & Figures
According to some latest sources, Freedom House and the World Factbook, some 98 percent of the Maltese adhere to Roman Catholicism, making the Islands one of the most Catholic countries in the world. Around a quarter of practicising Roman Catholics in Malta actively belong to a church group, initiative or organisation. According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll (2005), 95 per cent of Maltese citizens responded that “they believe there is a God” (which was the first highest result in the European Union); three per cent answered that “they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force”; while just two per cent answered that “they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force”.

Around two per cent of the population is not Roman Catholic, and comprises mainly small communities of Muslims and Jews, as well as various Protestant communities whose numbers are swelled by British retirees and new expats. There are the declared atheists, who are communing with like-minded folk more openly these days – see the Atheist Group Malta on Facebook.

Roman Catholicism & Public Schools
Religious instruction in Roman Catholicism is part of the curriculum, athough not compulsory and students may opt not to participate in religious lessons. Be aware though that the school calendar is hugely dominated by Catholic religious events and festivals, and the school priests seem to hold mass regularly for all children who have had their First Communion.

Divorce & Abortion
Malta is the only country in Europe that does not permit divorce. Performing abortion on Maltese territory is also illegal. As the Republic of Ireland is being challenged at the European Court of Human Rights for the first time in 15 years on its legal ban on abortion, it seems only time before a similar case will be brought against Malta. There have been attempts to find loopholes in Malta’s abortion laws, by claiming outer territorial waters to be outside this law, as in the case of the Women on Waves’ so called ‘abortion ship’.

Other recent religious issues & debates

Censorship & Religion
Earlier this year some young people dressed up as nuns at Nadur carnival in Gozo, as well as one dressed up as Jesus. They were taken to court for violating a ban on villifying the Catholic Religion. Common sense prevailed in this case, but only because, luckily, the young people were not wearing crucifixes or garments that could be construed as sacred or holy. It was in the end just considered ‘bad taste’. The case can be read about here or the judgement viewed here. But it has now spawned an interesting Facebook group,with considerable following, calling on a whole lot more people to go dressed as Jesus at next year’s carnival without fear of retribution.

Gaming Industry & Malta’s Morals
There is some irony in the fact that traditional Roman Catholic Malta has shot to the fore as an online gaming industry base. This has not been overlooked by various local bishops, and others who speak out to uphold the nation’s morals. While the companies can not serve online gamers locally, some people here are worried about its overall influence and its presence on the islands, but it does drive a swathe of the economy. Read more on this here.

All Religions Equal under the Law
With Pope Benedict’s impending visit to Malta next April, there have been numerous international calls from religions such as Hinduism and Judaism for him to urge Malta to treat all religions and denominations equally under its laws. Malta’s Criminal Code reportedly makes one liable to imprisonment up to six months for publicly vilifying “Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion”, while committing such act against “any cult tolerated by law” makes one liable to imprisonment for up to three months. Read more here.

A magical view of a common feature on Malta's skyline.

Most of us in Malta know the saying that there’s a church to visit for every day of the year. We’re not too sure, but it seems like it! From the moment you overfly the islands coming in to land, you’re struck by the number of baroque domes below whether it’s your nth time arriving in Malta or the first.

On Good Fridays, it’s the tradition for people to make a kind of pilgrimage tour of seven, but we’re listing around 10 of our top, all-time, must-sees which range from the celebrity cathedrals to a troglodyte church. Some are here because of the location and views to be had from their portals, while others are noted for the historical, ecclesiastical treasures inside.

Whether you’re a regular Catholic church-goer or not, it’s impossible to miss the pull of Malta’s churches. Churches are big business here, and still actively dominate, not just architecturally, Maltese daily life. A friend once noted when stumbling home from a party at around 5am, that women were thronging out of early mass, and heading straight across the road to the hairdressers – whose business-savvy owner had siezed the opportunity to get a few ‘shampoo and sets’ in before breakfast time!

Locals among us might know this list ‘insideout’, but it’s worth a glance to remind us of gems like the Zabbar Church Sanctuary Museum that we tend to ignore in our sightseeing trips. A lot of these churches make good kids’ outings, believe it or not. St Paul’s Shipwreck in Valletta is so gloomy inside it’s like going into a ghost train ride, and has quite a few relic-type surprises in store.

At the risk of annoying some of the more parochial of us, here are our favourites:

Mosta Dome: So called as it’s is a rotunda church (built in 1860) sporting the fourth largest dome in the world and Malta’s rival to St Peter’s in Rome. It has more claim to fame though – it received a direct hit from a bomb in WWII; the bomb punctured the roof during a mass (you can still see it’s entry point, just about), rolled down an aisle but didn’t explode. A replica of the ‘miracle’ bomb is in a small museum to the back of the church. Feast Day, 15 August, Assumption.

Siggiewi: This rural parish has an imposing church which sits at the top of a vast, L-shaped piazza – also home to two other churches! The church (1693), has an enormous, if slim and steep dome that was added well after its baroque construct designed by Malta’s famed architect Lorenzo Gafa’. The church, dedicated to St Nicholas, houses a Mattia Preti painting. But it’s the whole ambiance – church and peaceful square – that makes the place special. Feast – last weekend in June.

Mgarr: Another rural spot, this time in the ‘wilds’ of north-western Malta, Mgarr has a truly large landmark of a parish church. It’s not old, having been constructed in the early 20th century, but it makes up for lack of history by being the next largest unsupported dome after Mosta’s church. From its courtyard, you have vast open views of the plateaued hills around, and to the coastline. A spot worthy of a traveller’s rest – refreshment courtesy of the bars nearby. Feast – 15 August, Assumption.

St Catherine’s, Valletta: This is an exquisite, baroque chapel that formed part of the Auberge d’Italie, or hostel of the Italian Knights of St John. It has undergone extensive, and loving restoration in recent years, and has taken on a new lease of life as cultural venue, holding regular Sunday and Thursday lunchtime chamber music concerts. There’s no better way to enjoy its delightful interior and atmosphere than over half an hour or so of music. Details from St James Cavalier (opposite). Entry: Euro 5 by donation to the restoration fund.

St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta: This masterpiece of two styles – Mannerist exterior and Baroque interior, needs no introduction and is on all visitors’ must-see list. It is quite simply, world heritage in a World Heritage City. Valletta’s father and founder, Grandmaster Jean Parisot de la Valette, lies in its crypt. I find, as a local, I call in it somewhat less these days as it’s become a huge tourist attraction, and requires a ticket. It was the place to find a half hour of solace away from bustle of the shopping streets outside. Dark, cool and calm on the hottest of summer days. Visitor info here.

Ta’ Pinu Basilica, Gozo:A recent addition in comparison to all the baroque on the islands, but well worth the early 20th century effort to build it on this isolated, open spot. Ta’ Pinu is a gigantic basilica given Gozo’s size, and named after the rare, barrel-vaulted 16th century chapel it houses within it. Apparently, two locals at the spot in the late 19th century heard a ‘voice’ calling them to prayer at chapel. The Basilica was later built to become a shrine and place of pilgrimage (hence it size) dedicated to the intercession of Our Lady of Pinu.

Mellieha – Sanctuary of Our Lady: I went to a family wedding in this venerated, old parish church a few years ago, and just thought ‘wow! what an amazing location!’. The church is perched on an escarpment that has wide views over to Mellieha Bay below. It was like a scene from Cinema Paradiso, or some set from any of those famed Italian film-makers, especially with the wedding ceremony in full swing. It’s the former parish church and is built around a truly ancient rock-hewn church. The murals on the underground church date from probably around 3rd century A.D. although legend would have it that St Luke painted them when shipwrecked with St Paul in A.D.60.

Zabbar: The town itself is not on many visitor’s stop-offs, serving mostly as a through-route to the fishing village-resort of Marsascala. Its parish church though is a large baroque affair, but the reason you may wish to call in is the remarkable, eclectic collection housed in its museum, ‘The Zabbar Sanctury Museum’. Opened around 50 years ago, it is still unknown to a lot of Maltese. Which is a shame as it has some odd-ball, rare, quirky, precious, and fascinating exhibits ranging from Sedan chairs to bits of plane fuselage from WWII, as well as a fine collection of maritime votive paintings. Earlier this year, I happened to meet two retired men who work tirelessly as volunteers, keeping the place going. Do visit, and make their day! More info here.

St Paul’s Shipwreck, Valletta This is one of Valletta’s oldest churches and one of its more fascinating. It dates back to 1577 and has an unusually wide nave. It has a dark, gloomy feel inside which becomes its age and its venerated relics – the right wrist bone of the saint, and part of the column on which he was beheaded. These, like the relics in the side chapels of St John’s, always hold a morbid fascination for less easily-scared kids in any visiting party. The church houses some master craftsmanship in the statue of St Paul which was made by Melchiorre Gafa’, brother of Lorenzo Gafa’, Malta’s renowned architect to the Knights.

Mdina Cathedral: This is another must see and do because it’s so easy to fit in as part of a ‘Silent City’ tour. You can get joint entry to the Cathedral and Cathedral Museum (museum open: 09:00-16:30 Mon – Fri. Closed: Sundays and Public Holidays. Tickets: adults €2.33). The cathedral dates back to the late 17th century, but stands on the site of the old Norman cathedral which was destroyed in the 1693 earthquake that devastated the south-eastern corner of Sicily. Here too, it’s said, was the site of the house of the Roman Governor, Publius, whom St Paul converted to Christianity. Remaining from the Norman edifice is the massive altarpiece depiction of the Conversion of St Paul by Italian Knight and painter, Mattia Preti.

Cittadella’ Cathedral: Small but perfectly formed, this cathedral is a mini version of that of Mdina. And little wonder, since it was another baroque affair by Lorenzo Gafa’, the Maltese Architect who designed Mdina Cathedral. Its interest lies more in its ‘strategic position’ up a sweat-breaking, steep slope (summer time visitors be warned!), just inside the fortress’ walls. It is also said to stand on the site of the Roman Temple of Juno, commented on by Cicero in his writings. Kids love the inlaid tombstone floor and gazing up at the trompe l’oeil painting of a dome that was never to be on the outside.

Photo: Ghasri parish church, Gozo. Gege Gatt

Now, do I look at the score, or the conductor? Tricks of the trade in the choir competition!

This weekend sees the annual Malta International Choir Festival (30 Oct – 1 Nov). Annabel Mallia is a veteran of the competition, but even for her, this year is a whole new challenge. Here, she talks about what goes into the event and why it’s a delight for the audience.

‘This is an intensive period’ reads the memo from our conductor, Hugo Agius Muscat, and it certainly is with something going on six out of the seven days which end in a ‘Grand Closing Concert and Prize Giving’ on Sunday 1 November at 5.30pm at the Catholic Institute, Floriana. Nineteen choirs will be taking part in the event, including three choirs from Malta. The international contingents come from Germany, Bosnia Herzegovina, Spain, Hungary, Croatia, Latvia, Norway, Sweden and Slovenia.

My choir is St Paul’s Choral Society and we have been practicing for weeks. We are going to sing five pieces a capella; unaccompanied. We will feel very exposed, standing on the large stage at St Publius Church, Floriana, at 1pm Saturday, singing pieces in Russian, Latin, Italian and English not only unaccompanied but off-by-heart: bringing our music is strictly forbidden by Hugo. It certainly makes for a better performance if we all know the pieces perfectly and can then watch the conductor rather than bury our faces in our scores and ignore his frantic arm-waving. And we do know the pieces well; we’ve even been coached in Russian pronunciation by the Russian daughter-in-law of one of the choristers.

A highlight for us is meeting the other choirs and having the opportunity to sing with them all together in the spectacular setting of St John’s Cathedral on the Saturday at 8pm. We’ll be nearly 600 choristers in total, all ‘singing together for peace’; it’s a moving, hopeful and uplifting joining of people from different walks of life, different beliefs and nationalities: our common and binding interest being the making of music, sacred and secular.

We have studied and we want to do well. But as the event dawns, the worries set in: will the other choirs be full-time professionals, or are they like us – housewives, architects, bankers, doctors, students and teachers? They are on holiday in Malta; we have to fit in our commitments to the competition around the routine of work and family. It’s an ambitious challenge and may the best choir win!

More Info
For more info, and to download a detailed programme of the event see: Malta Council for Culture & the Arts