Our Lady of Sorrows

                     
We honor today the Sorrowful Mother as she stands by the cross waiting for her Son to die, His body to be placed on her lap soon afterwards. An image that has been painted, sculpted and drawn by many artists. Many countries honor the Sorrowful Mother (Mater Dolorosa) on this Friday before Holy Week, as seen in this procession held in Malta in the city of Valletta. Thousands of people accompany the procession, also attending Mass and going to confession on a day of atonement and repentance. Each parish holds a procession with a statue devoutly kept in each church, but the most popular and the most attended one is the one in Valletta, a photo of which you can see here above.

Most sorrowful Mother, we saw you standing by the Cross, seeing your Son making his last breath. The same breath you had given Him 33 years earlier, when you gave birth to Him in the humble cave of Bethlehem. Then they deposed His lifeless body from the cross and laid Him on your lap. Who knows how much you cradled Him with so much affection when he was a little toddler, running towards you to feel comfort and consolation. Yet now He is different. Bloody and lifeless.

And now you are ready to give Him back to whoever gave Him to you from Heaven. What can I ask of you Sorrowful Mother at this moment of such sorrow and pain? I cry with you, and John the apostle and Mary Magdalene next to you. Give me one drop of blood from His mutilated body, so that I can be saved. Give me one drop of your tears so that I feel comforted and refreshed. Give me one breath coming from his broken heart to strengthen my own heart. Give me your hands so that we can walk together and find consolation in each other.

With that same courage you showed throughout the way of the cross and on Golgotha, fill all of us with the blessed courage we need so much right now. Help us on our own way, which has nothing of the pain you experienced, nothing of the sharp thorns that were forced violently into your Son’s head. We have nothing of the torment you had to go through. Yet we still ask for your help in our own problems. And do walk with us in our alleys, hills and cobbled streets we have in front of us. Today we cry with you dear Mary, but do stay with us to wipe away our tears. We cry with you not because we feel sorry for you, but because we know that you are the only person today who can console us.

Passion stamps

Philately has always been in the forefront to showcase the best passion stamps. Frequently philatelists use paintings from the large collection of representations depicting scenes from the last few days of Jesus, as well as the Resurrection which followed 3 days later. These are just a few of the stamps issued over the past few years. Among them you can see stamps from San Marino, Greece, Germany, Burundi, Nigeria, Oman, Spain, Austria and Malta. Click on each photo to enlarge.

 

The Annunciation

The Annunciation has been one of the most frequent subjects of Christian art. Depictions of the Annunciation go back to early Christianity, with the Priscilla catacomb including the oldest known fresco of the Annunciation, dating to the 4th century. It has been a favorite artistic subject in both the Christian East and as Roman Catholic Marian art, particularly during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and figures in the repertoire of almost all of the great masters. The figures of the Virgin Mary and the Angel Gabriel, being emblematic of purity and grace, were favorite subjects of Roman Catholic Marian art, where the scene is also used to represent the perpetual virginity of Mary via the announcement by the angel Gabriel that Mary would conceive a child to be born the Son of God. The Annunciation has been one of the most frequent subjects of Christian art. Depictions of the Annunciation go back to early Christianity, with the Priscilla catacomb including the oldest known fresco of the Annunciation, dating to the 4th century. It has been a favorite artistic subject in both the Christian East and as Roman Catholic Marian art, particularly during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and figures in the repertoire of almost all of the great masters. The figures of the Virgin Mary and the Angel Gabriel, being emblematic of purity and grace, were favorite subjects of Roman Catholic Marian art, where the scene is also used to represent the perpetual virginity of Mary via the announcement by the angel Gabriel that Mary would conceive a child to be born the Son of God. The above painting is by Pietro Gagliardi (1809-1890) who was one of the most skilled Italian artists to have executed works commissioned for Maltese patrons in the late 19th century. This recently restored painting is in the parish church dedicated to the Annunciation in Tarxien, Malta.

New gems to reflect on

A mistake that makes you humble is better than an achievement that makes you arrogant.

If you see someone falling behind, walk beside them. If you see someone being ignored, find a way to include them. If someone had been knocked down, lift them up. Always remind people of their worth. One small act could mean the world to them.

Excuses vs Discipline: Excuses make today easy but tomorrow very hard. Discipline makes today hard, but it makes tomorrow very easy.

We are human. We are not perfect. We are alive. We try things. We make mistakes and we stumble. We fall and we get hurt. We rise again. We try again. We keep learning. We keep growing. And we are thankful for this priceless opportunity which we call LIFE.

Never blame anyone in your life.  Good people give you happiness. Bad people give you experience. Worst people give you a lesson. Best people give you memories.

Three golden rules: Don’t forget those who help you. Don’t hate those who love you. Don’t cheat those who trust you.

A moment of patience in a moment of anger saves you a hundred moments of regret.

Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attituded determines how well you do it.

When you are alone, mind your thoughts. When you are with friends, mind your tongue. When you are in trouble, mind your emotions. When God blesses you, mind your ego.

Life has taught me that I am not always in control. Life is full of experiences, lessons, heartbreak and pain. But it has also shown me love, beauty, possibility, and new beginnings. Embrace it all. It makes us who we are and remember that after every storm comes a clear sky.

We may not be the strongest. We might not be the greatest. But in our weakness, God’s strength is always at its best.

Always remember: Never reply when you are angry. Never make a promise when you are happy. Never make a decision when you are sad.

If everyone else is happy with you, then you surely have made many compromises in your life. And if you are happy with everyone, then you have surely ignored many faults of others.

Focus on improving yourself, not proving yourself.

The Ball Pen or Biro

Mr Laszlo Biro and the tip of the biro, or ball pen.

I’m sure many of us remember when we had to write using a fountain pen, or a pen which we had to dip in ink every few strokes. One person who got fed up with using the pen and ink was the Hungarian Laszlo Jozsef Biro who was a journalist and a proof-reader. Doing frequent annoying corrections with pen and ink was too much for him, and so he decided to invent something more practical. And in 1938 he came up with the idea of the ball pen, which many people started to call it the biro. We still refer to it as the biro in Malta and England. In the USA most people call it the ball pen, to refer to the tiny ball at the tip of each pen. In 1943, along with his brother Georg who was a pharmacist, Laszlo Biro went to Argentina and found a company that could financially help him produce millions of ball pens and biros. It was also advertised  that it can be used also under water. The British were fascinated by this invention and bought the rights and sold them to the BIC corporation, which now manufactures millions more, especially the popular BIC pens. This company could then supply their pens to the Royal Air Force, which they could us as they fly and write quick notes, much better than having to use a quill or stylus, with ink and an ink-jar, which as we all know, can easily spill and cause stains and difficult-to-remove ink spots, especially on our clothes. Thank you Mr Biro, even though I personally still use the fountain-pen !

Lazarus

This Sunday before Palm Sunday we read about the resurrection of Lazarus, which in a way was an opportunity for Jesus to speak about his own Resurrection, which will take place a few weeks later. Martha and Mary were upset that Jesus did not come to see Lazarus when they told Him that he was sick. He actually arrived at Bethany 4 days after he died. But since He knew what He was going to do, He took the slow road, but eventually proclaimed 'I am the Resurrection and Life - whoever believes in Me, will live forever.' In this present moment in history, we look at Jesus and ask for His intervention to help the entire world to enhance and appreciate life, and resurrect the values of hope and perseverance in the lives of all the nations who are struggling so much today. We pray for the thousands of victims who have died in the current war, in Iran, the entire Middle East region, Ukraine, Sudan and other war-stricken countries. And we pray for those who lost homes, properties, relatives and friends. May we see peace reign again in our turbulent world, as leaders of nations decide to stop the insane aggression, fighting, and destruction of everything in their path. As Beatle John Lennon sang in the late 70s with his Plastic Ono Band....’Give Peace a Chance !!!!’

The Maltese flag to Pope Leo

A touching, patriotic and special moment took place this past week when Pope Leo visited a parish of the Sacred Heart in Rome, run by a Maltese priest. As parents were asked to greet the Pope, he went around talking to some of the parishioners, when a young boy offered the Pope a Maltese flag. He was so touched by the gesture, that Pope Leo stopped to speak to the boy and thanked him for the gift of a flag. He might have known which country it belonged to, but he may have also asked the boy, Gianluca Caruana,  which country it represented.  Pope Leo weekly visits various parishes in Rome, because after all, he is the Pastor and the Bishop of Rome. In this parish he encouraged the parishioners to to be a sign of hope and solidarity to those who are hurting for some reason or another.

Marianne Downing – 100!

Marianne with a caricature of her younger years

Another resident at Hilltop Gardens just turned 100 yesterday, and she has quite an interesting story behind her. She was actually born in a Rectory in Regensburg, Germany. No, No, not the daughter of a priest, but since her parents were a lawyer (father) and a doctor (mother,) they had the privilege to live with the local priest. During the war, she was sent to a Labor Camp in Poland, not a concentration camp, but still they had to do a lot of hard work. There she was known as a trouble-maker, but she was a also a heroine when she saved another girl’s life. When this girl was sick, nobody cared for her, and was left to die, until Marianne went into action. She stole a bicycle and pedalled to a hospital, alerting a doctor who came and saved the girl’s life who was suffering from scarlet fever, a contagious disease. Marianne later married her husband John in Berlin and became pregnant rightaway, awaiting the birth of her first baby – but a big surprise, as she delivered twins, Charles and Andrew, to be followed by Rupert a few years later. Later in her life, along with her husband, they did voluntary work in various areas, and traveled even to Papua New Guinea to help indigenous people there. Eventually they moved to Canada where they settled in Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Lastly they moved to Malta where they lived in Mellieħa, until Marianne moved with her son Charles at Hilltop Gardens Retirement Village, where they still live. Happy 100th Birthday Marianne !

St Joseph

Dear Saint Joseph,

Today being your feast day, I thought of writing you a few lines mainly to show my gratitude for all you did for Jesus and Mary, and for us all. Very few people are greater than you are! Because being so close to Jesus and Mary, you are also the most blessed and full of grace. Well, if you weren’t so special and blessed, God would not have trusted you with his two most priceless possessions, marrying Mary, in spite of all the gossiping that was going on before your engagement, and then taking the role of a foster father of Jesus, protecting him, educating him and raising him from infancy to adulthood. You are fairly unknown around the world, but at least at Christmas time your image explodes all around the world with the millions of religious Christmas cards exchanged between families and friends. We read in the Gospels that God always conveyed his messages to you in dreams and during sleep. This doesn’t mean that He wanted you to be passive, as if you didn’t know what was going on. We never see you in dialogue with Mary, or giving your opinion in stressful situations. But you let Mary handle all situations, as she dialogued with the Angel Gabriel, at the wedding at Cana, or when Jesus was lost in the temple - she spoke, and you were silent. You receive the message, and made sure it was worked out and implemented. That was your divine mission and vocation - to be a silent instrument in the hands of God. I bet you enjoyed teaching Jesus the carpenter’s trade and other duties and chores around the house at Nazareth. 

Please Saint Joseph, just as you protected Mary and Jesus, I ask you to protect our church, of which you are its special patron saint. Give us more vocations because we need priests and nuns to continue the work in parishes, schools, orphanages and hospitals. Give us good parents, responsible and loving, ready to sacrifice their lives for their children and families, just as you and Mary did. Please pray for all workers, that they may honestly give their share of labor and be dedicated in their mission, always admiring you as their patron saint, another feast of yours we celebrate on May 1st. Be patient with us, dear St Joseph, because we tend to be hard-headed and spoiled at times. Remind us always to be grateful for all the blessings that you and your Son and wife give us, day by day.

Signed - a friend and an admirer

Passion exhibits

Over the next 3 weeks, various exhibitions will be held all over Malta, representing several scenes from the passion of Christ, which are also featured in the processions which are held on Good Friday, and which I highlighted all of last week in my posts on this blog. These are hand-made statuettes and include also several designs and motifs seen during the Lenten season and Holy Week. Remember that everything is done by hand with incredible imagination and craftsmanship. Please click on each photo to enlarge each image.

Saint Patrick

St. Patrick was of Romano-British origin, and born about the year 389AD. His father, Calpurnius, was a deacon, and Patrick's own full name was probably Patricius Magonus Sucatus. When he was 16, he was captured in Britain by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Ireland. During six bleak years spent as a herdsman, he turned with fervor to his faith. Hearing at last in a dream that the ship in which he was to escape was ready, he fled his master and found passage to Britain. There he came near to starvation and suffered a second brief captivity before he was reunited with his family. Thereafter, he became a priest and eventually a bishop. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland and probably responsible in part for the Christianization of the Anglo-Saxons. In a dream vision it seemed “all the children of Ireland from their mothers’ wombs were stretching out their hands” to him. He understood the vision to be a call to do mission work in pagan Ireland. Despite opposition from those who felt his education had been defective, he was sent to carry out the task. He went to the west and north, where the faith had never been preached, obtained the protection of local kings and made numerous converts. Because of the island’s pagan background, Patrick was emphatic in encouraging widows to remain chaste and young women to consecrate their virginity to Christ. He ordained many priests, divided the country into dioceses, held Church councils, founded several monasteries and continually urged his people to greater holiness in Christ. He suffered much opposition from pagan druids and was criticized in both England and Ireland for the way he conducted his mission.  Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions. After years of living in poverty, travelling and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461 and was buried in the vicinity of the future Cathedral town of Down.

Nicole Kidman and her faith

The Australian actress Nicole Kidman received praise from her fans when she said yesterday in a pre-Oscars interview that she went to church before the  glamorous ceremony in the evening. She has always identified herself as a devout Catholic, attending church regularly with her family. When asked why it was important for her to maintain the routine even on a day as significant as the Academy Awards, Kidman explained, ‘it’s what I do every Sunday.’ Several of her fans applauded her for staying grounded even on one of Hollywood’s biggest nights, and choosing to keep a tradition amid the Oscar buzz. Like many attendees, Kidman was expected to appear in several of the major after-parties, but her two teenage daughters aged 17 and 15 will not be joining her. ‘No, its Sunday night. They’re on spring break, but they will just go home, have a bath and go to sleep.’Nicole’s committment to her Catholic faith runs deep, so much so that once she actually considered joining a convent and becoming a nun.  ‘I’m a spiritual person and absolutely believe in God. I loved the idea of being a nun, but I did not choose that path, but I was defintely drawn to it.’

Lebanese priest killed

What had become a symbol of persistence turned into a scene of martyrdom, when a Catholic parish priest was killed in an Israeli strike that hit the border village of Qlayaa in southern Lebanon. Father Pierre Al Rahi, who had chosen to remain with his parishioners, died alongside the community he refused to abandon. According to local media reports, Hezbollah militants infiltrated the Christian town, turning it into a target for Israeli airstrikes. Residents alerted Father Rahi, who reportedly went to confront them and ask them to leave the village. The strike that killed him occurred around the same time. Pope Leo, who had just visited Lebanon in December 2025, called the Maronite Catholic Priest Killed in Bombing ‘a True Shepherd.’ In Arabic, ‘El Rahi’ means ‘the shepherd,’ Pope Leo said ‘Father Pierre was a true shepherd, who always remained close to his people, with the love and sacrifice of Jesus the Good Shepherd. As soon as he heard that some parishioners had been wounded by a bombing, he rushed to help them without hesitation. May the Lord grant that the blood he shed be a seed of peace for beloved Lebanon.’ In his appeal, Leo also called for prayers for peace in Iran and throughout the Middle East, especially for the many civilian victims, including many innocent children. May our prayer be a comfort to those who suffer and a seed of hope for the future.

Brother Bishops

Bishop Stephen and Bishop Gregory Parkes

Bishop Gregory Parkes of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Bishop Stephen Parkes of Savannah, Georgia, share a rare distinction: they are the 11th pair of biological brother bishops in U.S. Church history. The elder brother Gregory by 14 months, said he followed his brother Stephen into the priesthood a few years after they both graduated from college. The two grew up on Long Island, NY, in a family with three boys, and Stephen said he always believed his older brother would be the priest of the family. “When I was growing up, I wanted to be a physician,” he said. “And I realize now at this point in life, that God wanted me to be a doctor, and I am a doctor of souls.” He entered seminary one year before his older brother. After being ordained, both served as pastors at new parishes in Orlando, Florida, beginning in 2005. Father Stephen was assigned to The Most Precious Blood in Oviedo, Florida, and Father Gregory to Corpus Christi in Celebration, Florida. Now bishops of separate dioceses since Stephen was appointed by Pope Francis in 2020, the two still see each other multiple times throughout the year for retreats, meetings, and conferences.  

Gregory Parkes stands about four inches taller than his younger brother, but the two say they resemble each other in their pastoral leadership. “Our parents, when we were young, as kids, always gave us a very good example of what it means to serve God and to serve his people,” Father Gregory said. “As a family we were always very involved in ministry at our parish.” The boys served as altar servers, both parents served on the parish council, and their mother worked for the parish for a time. The family frequently hosted local priests for dinner or holiday celebrations. The two are the only surviving members of their immediate family, but they look back fondly on their home life as the first stage in their discernment. Their parents, Joan and Ron, passed away in 2000 and 2002 and their oldest brother, Christopher, died in 2017. Bishop Stephen said the memory of his parents still strengthens his vocation.  

Good Friday processions 5

This final post shows several statues taken out in processions all over Malta on Good Friday, and we visit today a few other parishes and admire a select samples that are just as impressive and devotional. The first one is from the parish of Vittoriosa and here all the statues are clothed in velvet and silk, presenting an elegant display of quaint drapery with beautifully sculpted faces and hands and feet. His first one shows the Agony in the Garden.

The second photo is the image of the dying Christ, a miraculous crucifix that is taken out in procession only on special occasions. Revered in a Franciscan church in Valletta, this crucifix was done by the Sicilian friar Innocenzo da Petralia Sottana around 1630. This image usually is taken out combined with the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, a week before Good Friday.

Next from Luqa parish, we have the ‘Ecce Homo’ (Behold the Man) image of Jesus with hands tied after the flogging, also holding a reed in his hands and robed in red. Then we have the close-up of Jesus the Redeemer, falling under the cross from Paola church. It is a tradition in Maltese processions that this statue is always preceded by a group of buglers, playing a solemn fanfare, most often scouts or bandsmen from the local band club. Lastly, we have a statue of Simon of Cyrene helping Jesus carry the cross, from the parish of Zejtun. (click on each photo to enlarge)

Good Friday processions 4

We are today in the parish of  Zebbuġ following a long, colorful, and spectacular procession. The first statue shows Christ after the flogging, and eventually being shown by Pontius Pilate to the people with the words ‘Ecce Homo,’ (Behold the Man,) while the second statue shows Jesus meeting Veronica, leaving an imprint of his bloody face on a cloth she offered to wipe his face. The next photo shows a variety of Biblical characters parading solemnly through the streets of the local town. Then we see Roman soldiers on their horses, and even a chariot led by 2 horses. The last photo is the statue of Jesus in one of the scenes as he continues his road to Calvary embracing his cross. Tomorrow we’ll end this 5-day series by seeing some other statues from various other parishes which hold this procession on Good Friday.

 

Click on each photo to enlarge

Good Friday processions 3

We are now in Rabat with 4 photos worth describing. The first one shows 3 soldiers around Jesus as He arrives on Golgotha and is being prepared to be stripped of His garments and ready to be nailed to the cross. 

The second photo shows the contrast between gentleness and harshness. The gentle attitude is seen in the two children carrying various symbols of the passion, while the harshness is seen in the two soldiers, one of whom with a whip in his hands, after he had finished whipping Jesus when He was tied to the pillar at the flogging. The other Roman soldier is quite impressive in his proud and demanding posture. Most of these soldiers create their armor themselves and keep it at home, polishing it and ready to shown off during this annual procession. 

The 3rd photo is quite impressive as the man is carrying a huge cross in a belt, with another assistant ready to relieve him from time to time, as they alternate the weight of that huge cross, balancing it and making sure it doesn’t top over the crowd. The last photo is the crucifixion of Jesus with the three main characters next to the cross, John the apostle, Mary Magdalene and the Blessed Mother.

Good Friday processions 2

Today we visit the procession held in Naxxar parish, the same parish where I serve, highlighting two statues which appear towards the end of the Good Friday procession. The first photo shows a very elaborate crucifix with various symbols connected to the passion of Christ. As you observe this relic, see how many symbols you can recognize. 

The second photo shows the burial of Christ, a very ornate statue which in Mata is usually referred to as ‘The Monument,’ showing the body of Christ as he was laid in the tomb, awaiting his resurrection. The third photo shows Our Lady of Sorrows, which is always carried last in all Good Friday processions. This statue has also another two processions, one of which is held a week earlier, on the Friday before Good Friday, a holy day which everybody respects by fasting, prayers and confession. Another procession with Our Lady of Sorrows may be held on September 15, the liturgical feast of the Pieta’.

Good Friday processions 1

All this week I will be sharing with my blog visitors various scenes from the processions which are held on Good Friday in various parishes in Malta and Gozo. These first ones are from the Mosta procession, showing the statue of the betrayal of Judas, a group of Roman soldiers dressed in their typical armor, and an anonymous devotee with chains tied to his ankles, as he walks the length of the entire procession in bare feet with heavy chains which he will drag along as a form of penance. There are various characters taking part in the procession, most of whom related to some Biblical figure connected to the last few days of Our Lord during his Passion and Death.

The gift of water

Seeing Jesus in today’s Gospel asking a Samaritan woman for water shows his humanity, yet His divinity shines through in this beautiful conversation between the two of them. He offers her special water that needs no replenishing. Whoever drinks of His water will never thirst.  We ask today for this special water that nourishes and cleanses at the same time. Water can also be destructive as happens during a flood, but it also destroys original sin when a baby is baptized. We appreciate the gift of Holy Water that is used so often for blessings of everyday objects. The Samaritan woman could have reacted with fear. Yet she responded with courage, and brought the entire village to meet Jesus, who decided to stay with them for 2 days. So we thank you Lord today for this gift, and may we always feel nourished by Your life-giving water, and respond to your invitation with courage and gratitude. May we pray for those who face so much destruction by floods and heavy rain, mudslides and snow that melts suddenly on a warmer-than-usual March day.

Orvieto Crucifixion

There are many impressive depictions of the crucifixion of Jesus. As I was reviewing my talk about ‘Crucifixion in Art’ which I will be presenting in a week, I ended up fascinated by this bass-relief from the Cathedral Duomo of Orvieto in Italy. It dates 1301, and shows a sculpture showing 4 scenes from Christ’s last moments. You can see, starting from the bottom right hand corner, going clockwise: the betrayal of Judas, the entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday,  the flogging at the pillar and the crucifixion itself. 

4 angels surround these 4 panels. These scenes are located on the façade of the main Cathedral, on both sides of the main door. There are other scenes from the Bible, but these 4 deal specifically with the Passion of Christ. (Click on each photo to enlarge)