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 As early as 1502 we find mention of a Confraternity of St Mary, which after some time was no longer active.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.