https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/332 Sun, 31 May 2026 18:02:09 GMT 2026-05-31T18:02:09Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146751 Title: A dispute on parish territorial limits in late 18th century Malta Abstract: The parish of Naxxar is one of the earliest to be established in the Maltese countryside, and although the exact date is not known, it is estimated to be sometime around the year 1400. In his Rollo of 1436, Bishop Senatore de Mello, included Naxxar as one of the ten existing parishes at that time. Out of these ten, two would eventually be dissolved. At some stage prior to 1436, the parish of Mellieħa may have emerged from the Naxxar parish, thus making Naxxar the first matrice, after the Cathedral Church. However, in the Appostolic Visitation of 1575, Mgr Dusina, dissolved the parish of Mellieħa, remarking that the region of Mellieħa was uninhabited, because the residents, for fear of pirate incursions, had moved inland to other inhabited areas for greater safety. Its territory was then returned or ceded to the Naxxar parish, the closest one of the eight remaining parishes di prima erezione. Thus, it now enjoyed an extensive territory covering the northern and north-western parts of Malta. In this territory one could find several hamlets, together with the villages of Mosta and Għargħur. There were thirty-six rural churches scattered all over this territory. Two of these, the Assumption in Mosta and St Bartholomew in Għargħur, appeared to be situated in the centres of habitation of the two villages and were therefore of greater importance to the inhabitants. They would eventually become the parish churches of their respective villages. The Apostolic Visitation report does not mention any population statistics in connection with this territory but only states that there were 116 houses in Mosta and 80 in Għargħur. This already implies that the two casali were the two main settlements in the territory apart from Naxxar itself. The residents of Għargħur complained to Mgr Dusina regarding their difficulties to access religious services in the parish church at Naxxar. There being only two priests, their visits to the two villages were few and far separated. This was confirmed by the parish priest of Naxxar, Don Giuliano Borg himself, saying that he was frequently away from the village. These complaints provide the first indications of pressures that led to the future partition. [...] Description: Dip.(Melit.) Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146751 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146749 Title: The Marian cult through its chapels in Ħal Qormi Abstract: The intent of this essay is to present a short historical overview of the town of Ħal Qormi that reveals through its historic context a deeply rooted Marian cult that has striven faithfully and ardently through the ages, reflecting the spiritual devotion that emerged from its community. It also treats briefly an insight of the present situation of various chapels dedicated to Our Lady that clustered in the same territory; some were eventually closed since proved inadequate for worship. The origins of Ħal Qormi are obscure. Its chronological history unfolds its earliest tangible mention in archival records excerpted from and known as the Militia List documented in 1419 wherein the town is called Casal Curmi. Subsequently over the passage of time Casal Curmi was dialectically altered to the current town name of Ħal Qormi. In 1436, Bishop Senatore de Mello de Noto ordered the compilation of an inventory known as Quaternulus pro concordia taxarum and this provides the earliest mention of Ħal Qormi as a parish. In 1456, the medieval parish church dedicated to St George was enlarged or a larger church was built under the chaplaincy of Don Giglio Lombardo. There were two older churches dedicated to St Michael and the Annunciation which were interconnected and the newly built structure might have abutted them or the surrounding cemetery. In 1584 plans for a new church commenced8 and the structure was completed in 1684. This edifice still stands today and serves as the present parish church for liturgical worship currently known as the Collegiate Church of St George. As early as 1502 we find mention of a Confraternity of St Mary, which after some time was no longer active. This testifies the emergence of Marian devotion in the locality. Another tangible proof of the antiquity of Marian devotion is found in the earliest painting possessed by the parish; this depicts the Pieta’ and it formed part of a triptych. The central panel, which still exists, depicts the Virgin of Sorrows which characterizes the heartfelt devotion towards Our Lady in her suffering showed by the people of the town. This triptych which formed part of a retable that was later dismembered, is believed to have been the titular painting of the medieval Cappella, which served as the parish church. Although the central panel depicted Our Lady of Sorrows, this did not imply that the church was dedicated to her. It was the norm in those days to represent Our Lady in the centre whilst bearing the titular saint, in this case St George, on one of the side panels. In 1575 Mgr. Pietro Dusina on his apostolic visit in Casal Curmi provides an insight on the village social aspect and asserts that 22 churches were extant two of which were dedicated to the Annunciation and six were dedicated to the Assumption. The report refers to the Annunciation church adjacent to the old church; later on the structure was demolished and its site integrated with the new church. The other chapel also dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin is the smallest chapel in Ħal Qormi that has been rebuilt. Two chapels dedicated to the Assumption are still extant, known as Tal-Blat and Tal-Qreċja; both have been rebuilt, and the latter has been desecrated. The chapel of the Nativity of the Mary was once dedicated to the Assumption; moreover, another chapel dedicated to the Assumption which stood in the vicinity of the Nativity chapel was subsequently closed. The report lists another Assumption chapel which stood near the parish priest’s residence, whilst another chapel, also dedicated to the Assumption, was situated near the old church; its ashlars were later utilized to construct the new parish church. The report reveals six chapels existed in the rural area including three chapels dedicated to Our Lady known locally as Santa Marija Tal-Ħlas, Santa Marija ta’ Ċeppuna and Santa Marija ta’ L-Imrieħel; 20the latter no longer exists. Thereafter, following the foundation of daughter parishes from the matrix of Ħal Qormi, two chapels, Ta’ Ċeppuna and Tas-Samra or Ta’ Atochia, both dedicated to the Assumption, fell within the boundaries of new parishes, namely Marsa (Holy Trinity) and Ħamrun (St Cajetan) respectively. Another chapel, built late in the 16th century, was also dedicated to Assumption and it was known as Ta’ Staino; it was situated in the parish cemetery and was closed down some time later. Although a number of chapels have perished, the medieval period reveals a high evidence of Marian cult as three genres of devotion are discernible. These chapels merited to be mentioned as they were a testimony of the devotion to Our Lady which has not abated during the centuries. They provide evidence that sheds light on the past community who held with such esteem the veneration of Our Lady. Their humble state, bare and lacking from necessities and embellishment has been documented in Mgr Dusina’s. Also the flourishment of Marian Cult in Ħal Qormi aids us also to comprehend how the community has adopted other forms of Marian veneration not only in the precincts of the town core. This asserts the formation of devotion in a tangible manner that elevates the faithful notwithstanding the turmoil and upheaval they had to endure. The five Marian chapels that have prevailed and endured crucial and sometimes precarious times will be discussed in this essay: the Marian shrines of Tal-Ħlas, Tal-Blat, and Tal-Qreċja, all dedicated to the Assumption, the Chapel of the Nativity of Mary known as Tal-Vitorja, and the chapel of Annunciation. Description: Dip.(Melit.) Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146749 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146747 Title: Giuseppe Calì : an iconographical study of his works Abstract: The artistic scene in Malta in the 19th Century, as regards to Sacred Art, was characterized by stagnation and complacency. The last accredited Maltese artist was Giuseppe Hyzler, a representative of neoclassicist, academic and Nazarener style, who died in 1858. It was only with the appearance of Calì, in 1870, that the artistic scene began to take a different turn and became revolutionized by Romanticism and Realism. This study is an iconographical evaluation of how Giuseppe Calì’s works in Sacred Art evolved along the years until he became a master, which is being referred to as ‘The Real Calì’ for the scope of this study. It will also include how his art transformed into what is referred to, in this evaluation, as ‘The Calì-Gagliardi Hybrid’. This analysis will be performed in the context of his personal life, his financial situation, the socio-economic environment in Malta and Italy, his academic background, his competitors, and his confinement in Malta. Description: Dip.(Melit.) Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146747 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146745 Title: The choir stalls of the Old Cathedral of Malta : history, iconography and devotion Abstract: Woodcraft is an old and noble trade. In Medieval Europe, an effort was being made to reduce the distinction between 'major art' and 'minor art', inherited from the Classical period. During the Renaissance, developed 'artisan workshops' created a more scientific and academic climate in artisanal and manual knowledge and practice. The woodwork in the Maltese islands has not been properly researched, especially until the period of the 16th century. The production of wood was done for private dwellings, as well as for public buildings. Of the latter, the most frequented were the places of worship, so as a consequence, the most well-known works in wood are found there. In the Maltese islands, until the Knights of Saint John arrived in 1530, the most important and richest church was the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Mdina. In this writing, we are going to take a look at one of the most important works that were done in this sacred building, the 15th-century Choir stalls. In this complex work, we are going to concentrate on the iconography of the figurative panels. Choir stalls In the development of the sacred Christian building, we see that it was essentially divided in two, the main aisle at the front for the faithful, while the part at the back, where you had the presbytery, was reserved for the clergy. This part of the presbytery in ancient times was located between the ambo and the inside of the apse and the altar, while in front of the altar, from the IV century, there was the scoula cantorum. Successively, this space was changed into the monastic choir, which in the cathedral remained behind the altar, while the clergy began to preside in front of the altar. Gradually, the choir was moved from the back to the front of the altar. Choir stalls are the church furnishings par exellence. But what exactly does the choir consist of? This is a space in which the recitation of the Divine Office takes place, the Canonical hours, by the Capitular, diocesan, or common members, or of a monastic or conventual community. As a norm, there were several rows of stalls, usually two to three on each side, while in the middle space, there was a large lectern to place the choral books on. These chairs used to be made of wood, a more comfortable material, especially in the winterseason. The back row of seats is raised on a platform and linked to each other through partitions, while sometimes they end with a kind of canopy. The front row was raised in the same way but had a lower back and platform. These chairs were functional, especially when one spends long hours using them, where they had a place to put your hands, while you can rest not only when sitting, but also standing. […] Description: Dip.(Melit.) Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146745 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z