Redeemer and Redeemed

Jesus, the Redeemer - Saint Julian, the Redeemed

Today is the exact 125^th anniversary of the foundation of the parish of St Julian, my hometown, and for this occasion I dedicate a photo I took last Sunday in church, just as the statue of our Saint was being carried out of the church. I caught the exact moment when the Resurrected image of Jesus and the statue of the Saint were close to each other, and that has been the story of the parish. St Julian is still popular because the parish kept growing inspired by the Lord, who has been the guiding force behind everything that is done on a parish level. The parish had various parish priests, and many more priests serving over the past 125 years, but there were also many volunteers and dedicated parishioners who have donated money, muscle and a piece of their mind in giving the parish the boost it needed over the war years, the rebuilding years, the new church phase, and the recent expansion of buildings and foreigners as well as new parishioners moving in. Jesus has redeemed us, and Saint Julian was redeemed after his mistake. But most importantly, the Redeemer and the Redeemed have both been our guiding force, and I hope and pray they will continue to inspire the continual spiritual growth of the parish into the future.

Who is this nice lady?

It was a cold day in December in a little town in New York. A little boy about 8 years  old was standing by himself before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy as he stood up to approach the window of a shoe store, and said to him, "My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that window?"  

"I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," was the boy's reply. The lady took him by the hand and went into the store and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with a towel. By this time the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, "No doubt, my little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?"   As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, answered the question with these words: "Are you God's Wife?"

Today is up to me

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have. It’s all up to me.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job and can earn a living.

Today I can complain because I have to go to school or I can eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because I've been provided shelter for my mind and body.

Today I can complain that I don’t have the latest IPhone, or I can be happy that I can communicate with anyone around the world within a few seconds.

Today I can complain because my house is not the nicest looking in our neighborhood, or I can be grateful that I do have a roof over my head, unlike the many displaced people in Central Italy, recently hit by an earthquake.

And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping, the molding and give that finishing touch to the masterpiece of my life.

What today will be like is completely up to me.

Martyrdom of John the Baptist

Caravaggio - Beheading of John the Baptist

Today being the feast of the martyrdom of St John the Baptist, I thought of reflecting for a moment on the most impressive artistic masterpiece we have in Malta, the ‘Beheading of John the Baptist’ by Caravaggio. This is a massive painting (142 in × 200 in) which is in the oratory of St John’s Cathedral in our capital city Valletta. It was the only painting that Caravaggio signed, with the signature visible in the pool of blood trickling from John’s head. It was done in 1608, and has been recently restored. The image depicts the execution of John the Baptist while nearby a jailer issues instructions and the executioner draws his dagger to finish the beheading. The painting has three groups of characters. The first two are two other prisoners behind the bars, looking inquisitively and shockingly at the gruesome beheading. The second group are the two women on the far left, one of whom is Salome who stands with a golden platter to receive his head. Another woman, who has been identified as Herodias or simply a bystander who realizes that the execution is wrong, stands by in shock. The other three characters in the middle part of the painting consist of the jailer ordering the murder, the executioner, and the lifeless body of John, partly covered with a cloth and partly with a piece of sheep-skin. Completed in Malta, the painting had been commissioned by the Knights of Malta as an altarpiece, and it is of course in the classic chiaroscuro style. 

Church and banners

Celebrating 125 years as a parish church.

One final post on the feast of St Julian, which is being celebrated today in my home town. The photos show the church as it is decorated, at daylight and at night-time. There are also two large colorful banners that dominate the square in the front of the same church, my childhood church that has been refurbished over the past 20 years, and its glory and brilliance is still evident for everyone to see.

A selfie and flash-back

In front of the house where I was born in 1952

I had to go back 64 years today and simply share with you a selfie I took in front of the house where I was born in 1952 on this day, precisely at 16 St Angelo Street, St. Julian’s. There was a midwife, Giuseppa Xiberras who was pretty popular and quite busy at that time, and she had an extra busy evening that day. I was born at 8 PM and another boy Tony Xerri was born at 9 PM, just two doors away. Incidentally I ended up performing the marriage of Tony and his wife, and below is a photo in what could have been 1978 or 1979. Tony and his wife had 2 children and 3 grandchildren. I surprisingly met him only yesterday after one of the Masses in the old parish church. Obviously a photo followed after all these years.

With childhood friend Tony Xerri, born an hour apart.

I have a list of people who were born on August 27, a list which include Mother Teresa, to be canonized on September 4, President Lyndon B. Johnson, German golfer Bernhard Langer, snooker player Peter Ebdon, baseball player and coach Lou Piniella, and tennis stars John Lloyd and Carlos Moya.

The day Tony and his wife were married

To conclude I share a reflection I received from a former parishioner and friend from the USA:

I pray that this day will be filled with peace.

   - Peace of mind knowing that you are a true servant of God.

I wish this day will be filled with joy.

   - Joy in feeling even a little of the joy you have give so freely, reflected back on you.

I hope this day is filled with opportunities.

   - Opportunities to grow in God's love and share this love with others.

I know this day will be filled with prayers.

   - Prayers by the many, many people whose lives you have touched and enriched in such a holy way.

I feel this is a day of gratitude.

   - Gratitude for the day you were born.

Feast of St Julian

The main altar of the old St Julian church

This weekend being the feast of Saint Julian, my patron saint and my home saint, I share today a photo of the two churches dedicated to him. The smaller older church is close to 200 years old, and it became pretty small for the population which was growing fast in 1950s and early 1960s, and so a new one was built and finished in 1969. This is where I served for the 4 years as Assistant Pastor here between 1977 and 1981, and I still celebrate Mass there occasionally, but usually, whenever I am needed, I celebrate Mass at the smaller church dedicated to St Julian and also to the Ascension. That’s where my parents were married, where I was baptized, and where I served hundreds of Masses as an altar-boy.

The new St Julian church built between 1962 and 1969

Obviously during this week they are dressed up in their finest outfit as you can see from these photos. The old church has a set of 6 statues of the apostles which are made from paper-mache and gilded in gold. They match perfectly the set of gold chandeliers that are placed on the main altar during this festa week. The tabernacle also is as old as I can remember as are the bouquets of flowers that are placed between the chandeliers. Much of the work has been done by a group of young enthusiasts who dedicate many hours in refurbishing, cleaning and decorating the inside, as well as the outside of the church with beautiful banners. The new church is modern in style and welcomed St John Paul II in 1990 where he gave a speech - the church was painted for that occasion with a different stream of colors, which has since been accepted by all parishioners. The photo attached was taken just this week during one of the Masses celebrated there.

Io sono l'Italia - I am Italy

Last year we are cried out Je suis Charlie or Je suis France when France was attacked by violence and terrorism. Now it’s time to support our Italian friends who suffered a horrible earthquake this week in Central Italy. The pictures that have reached us through the news and social media speak for themselves. So far 247 people have been found dead but the number is probably going to continue to rise as more victims are being pulled out from the debris. Since this was a vacation area for many people, there may be many unaccounted folks who just happened to be vacationing in this region during the summer break.

Central Italy, (yellow star) where the earthquake hit on Tuesday

Since Malta is close to Italy, we follow the news there very close, not only through the many TV channels we receive but also because we always had close affinity to Italy, even though they bombed us during World War II. We forgave them ever since, and we follow Italian soccer, entertainment, films, songs and fashion, not to mention the cuisine. Many of the buildings and churches in Italy are very old and historic, and that is one of the reason you see a lot of rubble after an earthquake. But people love their quaint houses and I guess many of the homeless will hope to settle in the same area since that is where their roots are. Let us pray and hope no more aftershocks will affect the region, and that the number of casualties will remain at a minimum. And let us pray for safety for all rescue workers and those helping in the recovery process. Io sono l'Italia - I am Italy.

Festa time in Malta - part 10

King's Own Band Club emblem with a colorful background

This would be the last post on Malta feasts, with a collection of various photos that concludes this overview of what dominates the Maltese landscape, culture and tradition in the summer months. This weekend we also celebrate my hometown feast of St Julian and a few photos will be posted over the next few days depicting the various decorations visible in my neighborhood. 

Outdoor statue of the Assumption at Qrendi

I know that some of the visitors to this blog may be tired by my endless display of festa photos, but when you look at the photos, you cannot but agree that it is truly a portfolio of something beautiful, devout and truly unique.

Beautiful colorful banners at the own of Lija

Statue of the Assumption at Qrendi parish

Quiet street in Vittoriosa

Festa time in Malta - part 9

St Joseph's church in Msida

Going inside a Maltese church is always an exhilarating experience, especially when they are fully decorated for the village feast in honor of their titular saint. The predominant Baroque church, as seen in these photos are conspicuous with their red tapestries on the walls, the fully adorned main altars with a set of silver statues of the apostles, chandeliers, and bouquets of flowers.

Sanctuary area in the parish of Zurrieq

Besides the main altar, there is another altar in the back fully decorated, which was used before the Vatican II reforms. Enjoy these photos taken in different church these past few weeks. Please do lick on each photo to enlarge.

St Helen's church in Birkirkara

Assumption church in Qrendi

Festa time in Malta - part 8

Fireworks - an important aspect of the Maltese festa. Very colorful, very frequent and very loud, they illuminate the Maltese skies all through the summer, as every parish would have its own exhibition of fireworks. When neighboring towns celebrate feasts close to each other, fireworks enthusiasts compete with each other as to which is the most colorful, most complicated firework, and at times, the loudest. 

These are a few photos I took recently on August 5th on the eve of the feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus at the town of Lija. They are not the best photos, but I'm sure you can appreciate them nonetheless.

Festa time in Malta - part 7

The start of a procession of the Assumption at Ghaxaq.

Continuing my display of scenes summer festas from various parishes in Malta, today you can see some scenes from a typical procession, both the religious aspect of it and the festive one with marching bands. Most processions are led by lay men dressed in various colorful capes, representing a Confraternity, either of the Blessed Sacrament, the Blessed Mother, St Michael, and other saints. 

Confraternity members of OL of Mt Carmel at Zurrieq.

The sights and sounds are quite unique and you have to be here to experience them in full. Hopefully the photos I've been sharing with you can give you a taste of what is very colorful, festive and happy, yet spiritual and devout. This coming week is the feast of my hometown St Julian's, so expect some photos with a local, personal flavor.

The old and the young participate in marching bands.

And girl friends keep company and support to the drummers.

Festa time in Malta - part 6

Apse at Transfiguration church in Lija

Today we focus on domes and apses, which are painted in different styles and techniques. Usually the same artist that does the ceiling does also the domes, but necessarily. The apse is an arch above the main altar in the very back, usually just above the main painting. The dome photos reproduced here are from various churches and show the variety of paintings done usually in octagonal sections.

Dome and apse at Hamrun church, work of Emvin Cremona

There is adequate lighting to illuminate the domes, but these are normally lit on special occasions like the day the festa is being held - so I took the opportunity to get the best lighting possible in each church, preferably in the early evening, when the procession is being held around town.

Msida church apse by Anton Inglott and Emvin Cremona

Sacro Cuor church paintings by Paul Camilleri Cauchi.

Dome of St Mary's church, Ghaxaq

Festa time in Malta - part 5

Sanctuary lamp hanging from the dome in Balzan church

We focus today on the inside of Malta churches, in particular one item that is seen in each church, and in some cases more than one. I'm referring to the sanctuary lamp that is made of silver, hanging by a strong chain from the roof. In most American or European churches, the sanctuary lamp is just a candle which is covered by a red glass, but in Maltese churches, these lamps are highly decorative, quite big and prominent. 

In Qrendi church with the pulpit in the background

You can see a variety of them in these photos taken in different churches, with other sections of the church in the background, some of which include the pulpit, others include the choir loft and the massive organ, usually in the back of the church, above the main door.

In Lija church with the Transfiguration statue

In St Dominic church, Valletta

Festa time in Malta - part 4

Main altar at Qrendi church with 12 apostles' statues

Today we enter some of the churches in Malta and focus on the altars, decorated with large candlesticks, candles and in between a set of 6, at times 12 apostles. Most of them are centuries old statuettes in silver or gold or paper-mache, which had been used on special occasions like this festa week. Not only the main altar has a set of apostles, but even the side altars have various saints displayed. 

Ganutell flowers in ceramic vases with images of Mary at Balzan church

Bouquets of flowers are sometimes placed between the candlesticks, and some of them are also handed down over the decades, made from special material called ganutell. Their vases are also very precious as you can see from some of the photos displayed today. Please do click on each photo to enjoy a higher resolution and clearer image.

Other saints on side altars, with St George Preca photo, Malta's only saint.

Bishops and Carmelite saints on a side altar at Zurrieq church

Festa time in Malta - part 3

Christ the King feast at Paola

We see today some of our beautiful Baroque churches decorated with lights, a pain-staking project that involves a lot of coordination and lots of hands to help place each colored light-bulb in its precise place, to create the final effect. These are three different churches lit up during the week-long celebration of the local village festa. 

Assumption church and statue at Qrendi

Some sections of the church may be lit up during the Christmas season and maybe on Easter, but this entire display is for the festa week only. They look pretty spectacular seen from a distance. Enjoy them and share them with friends.

St Joseph church at Msida

Festa time in Malta - part 2

Banner of OL of Mt Carmel in Zurrieq

More photos of these elaborate banners which are painted, stitched and sewn together by enthusiasts who spend hours designing, and working on them all year round. Finally they are displayed for everyone to see during festa week. The painted part is usually done by a professional painter, but some young enthusiasts are also putting their talents to work. Please do click on each photo to enlarge and see the detail and intricacy of each banner.

Banner of Sacro Cuor, Sliema

Banner of St Peter, with statue of OL of Mt Carmel at Zurrieq