Draft:Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church, San Ġwann
| Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Chruch | |
|---|---|
Knisja Parrokkjali Madonna ta' Lourdes | |
| Location | San Ġwann |
| Country | Malta |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | parrocci.knisja.mt/parrocca/san-gwann |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Our Lady of Lourdes |
| Consecrated | May 12, 1962 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Ġużé Colombo |
| Architectural type | NeoClassical |
| Groundbreaking | September 13, 1953 |
| Completed | December 20, 1959 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 35.66m |
| Width | 19.5m |
| Materials | Maltese Limestone |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta |
| Parish | September 21, 1965 |
The Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church (Maltese: Knisja Parrokkjali Madonna ta' Lourdes) is a Roman Catholic parish church in San Ġwann, Malta, dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. It forms part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta. It is under the current administration of the Capuchin Order[1], with a community of eight friars: Fr. Bertrand Vella, parish priest; Fr. Paul Bugeja; Fr. Martin Micallef; Fr. Valentine Calleja; Fr. John Vella; Br. Jesmond Ciantar; Fr. Leonard Falzon; and Fr. Publius Mair.
History[edit]
When the areas between Birkirkara and Sliema started to develop after the Second World War, the Archbishop of that time, Mons. Michael Gonzi, asked the Capuchin Friars to take care of the spiritual life of the people. The Capuchin Friars took responsibility for the Imsieraħ locality on February 21, 1947. The first friars were Fr. Felic Scicluna, Fr. Joseph Mary Spiteri, and Fr. Teophilus Ebejer, who took temporary residence at 152, Triq San Ġiljan, near the Chapel of San Ġwann tal-Għarghar.
For many people who did not know things from the inside, the arrival of the Capuchins was too little of a surprise. This is because it was the Carmelite friars who used to give some service (such as masses) in the chapel of San Ġwann tal-Għargħar. Among these was Father Elija Caruana O.Carm. Father Elija used to come from the convent of the Carmelites of Balluta. For the local people, whether Carmelites or Capuchins, the most important thing was that they could now be better served. The need to have at least two priests for the service of the people had been felt for a long time, especially considering the distance between this locality and the parishes of which it was a part. Therefore, they welcomed the Capuchin friars with open arms, and the friars did not fail to reciprocate. From the very beginning, the three priests did their best to ensure that the people were served spiritually, as they should. Although the population was not large, the chapel of San Ġwann tal-Għargħar was too small. In fact, we can say that for mass, there were more people outside the chapel than inside. Here, the need to do something for the comfort of the people began to be felt. This is because the chapel of San Ġwann tal-Għargħar has become the centre of every religious activity in the neighbourhood. Some feasts have started to be organised, such as Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter.
The need for a Convent and a Bigger Church[edit]
For this purpose, a plan was prepared to build a church and a convent. These had to be paid for, according to his own wish, by Mr. Ġużeppi Borg, a businessman from Birkirkara. Mr. Borg wanted to build a temple to Our Lady under the title of Sorrows. It was decided to build the convent first and then the church. The architect was Mr. Ġuze Colombo and the supervisor was Mr. Felic Mifsud, a contractor from the same neighbourhood. On November 3, 1949, work began to build a convent and a church based on the general outline of Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls. It was Mr. Ġuzeppi Borg and his son Felic, who gave the land, and the first stone, the one above the foundation, was laid in January 1950. It was blessed by P. Feliċ Scicluna, guardian of the Capuchin fraternity, on behalf of the Provincial. The first floor of the convent was finished by September 15, 1950. Consisting of a corridor in the middle. On the left side were the friar's cells, while the right side was left open. Thus, one side of the convent building served as a temporary chapel, in which the Blessed Sacrament was solemnly transferred from the Chapel of San Gwann tal-Għargħar. The upper floor was built a number of years later.
The blessing of the convent was done by Archbishop Michael Gonzi in the presence of the Provincial, of Ġuzeppi and his son Felic Borg, as well as some of the Canons of the Collegiate Basilica of Sant' Elena of Birkirkara. A number of Capuchin friars from different convents also took part. Last but certainly not least, all the elderly, as well as young people and children who lived in these areas, were present. On September 16, 1950, Father Anton Dimech, Provincial of the Capuchins, led a processional procession of the Holy Sacrament from the Chapel of San Ġwann tal-Għargħar to the provisional convent.
The New Church[edit]
The church foundation stone was laid on September 13, 1953, and blessed by Bishop Mons. Emanuel Galea. To be completed and inaugurated on December 20, 1959.
The Dedication[edit]
The church is dedicated to Our Lady under the title of the Immaculate Conception of Lourdes. But the thought and desire of Mr. Felic Borg, the main benefactor of the church, was that its title should be Our Lady of Sorrows. Felic borg was so determined that the church should bring this title that he even wanted it to be written down, and it was written down in the first contract he had made with the Provincial of the Capuchin Order on April 21, 1940.
On June 12, 1959, with the consent of Mr. Felic Borg and with the approval of Archbishop Gonzi and the Provincial of the Capuchins at that time, the agreement was changed to change the title of the church to Our Lady of Lourdes. The next day, June 13, a temporary picture of Our Lady of Lourdes was placed in the church.On June 14, 1959, the painter Mr. Ġuze Briffa, from Birkirkara, started working on the draft of the new title and offered to do it free of charge. On December 17, 1959, the titular painting was finished, and the same painter, Briffa, was brought to the church. On December 20, 1959, the day on which the church was opened and blessed, Archbishop Michael Gonzi, after giving the sacramental blessing, unveiled and blessed the titular picture of Our Lady of Lourdes. On July 16, 1979, the work of gilding the frame of the titular frame began.
Church Consecration[edit]
Although the church of Our Lady of Lourdes, San Gwann, had been serving the public worship of God for three years, it had not yet been officially consecrated for this sacred use. The beautiful day for this occasion arrived on May 12, 1962.
On the previous day, the 11th, in the chapel of the Franciscan Sisters of San Gwann, the relics of the holy martyrs Jucundian and Joshua were prepared, which, according to the ritual of the consecration of the church at that time, had to be buried in the middle of the mensa of the high altar. At 3.00 pm on the same day, Archbishop Mons. Michael Gonzi arrived at the nuns to seal the relics. Then, at 5.00 pm a penitential procession with the relics took place along the main streets of San Ġwann. The next morning, on the 12th of May, the relics were transported in a procession led by Archbishop Gonzi, assisted by Mons. Emanuel Vella and Mons. Giuseppe Lupi. Then the consecration ceremony of the church was held by the archbishop.
As a sign of this consecration, 12 crosses were placed on the columns of the church along the aisle, six on each side. These crosses are made of marble on a gold-coloured mosaic background. In memory of the consecration of the church, a marble plaque was also placed on the wall, on the side of the chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows in Latin.
| Original script | Translation to English |
|---|---|
| D.O.M.
AD SACRI TEMPLE MAJUS IMMACULATAE VIRGINI LAPURDENSI DICATI LABENTIBUS ANNIS CONSECRATIONIS PERPETUANDAM MEMORIAM EIUSDEMQUE ALTARIS PRINCIPIS SACRIS RELICIUS SANCTORUM MARTYRUM JUCUNDI ET JOSUE PRADITI PRIME PRAE CAETERIS A DOM. MICHAEL GONZI ARCHIEP. MELITENSE TERTIODECIMO CAL. JUNE MCMLXII JUXTA PUNTIFICALE ROMANUM AMENDMENT SOLEMNIIS CAEMONIIS PERACTAE RITE |
In memory forever
until the years go by of the Consecration of this Sacred Temple, dedicated to the Immaculate Virgin of Lourdes, and of his High Altar, endowed with the holy relics of the martyred saints Jucundian and Joshua, which was held with solemn ceremonies, by Msgr. Mikiel Gonzi, Archbishop of Malta, on 20 May 1962 according to the revised rite of the Roman Pontiff. |
(N.B. The church of Our Lady of Lourdes, San Ġwann, was consecrated on May 12, 1962, and not on May 20, as stated in the inscription above.)
The Main Altar[edit]
In every church, the altar is the central work. The altar of this church is a beautiful and artistic work of marble from Pietra Santa di Lucca, Italy. It was put into place in October 1961. On the facade of the first step, there are ten medallions with the figures of some prophets and other biblical characters, which we consider to be figures of Our Lady. In the middle of the altar is the bronze tabernacle, covered from the inside with silver sheets. The design of the altar is by Mr. G. Galea. As we mentioned, the altar was consecrated by the archbishop, Mons. Michael Gonzi, on May 12, 1962.
The bronze candlesticks, which can be seen on the altar, were made by the firm F. Abela & Sons, of Blata l'Bajda, Hamrun, in the years 1059 and 1964. While the candlesticks of the titular feast are silvered bronze and were paid for by Mr. Ġuzeppi Micallef and his wife Lorenza. On each of the three faces of the candlestick, there are the symbols of Our Lady, St. Francis, and the surname Micallef. The foot of the cross, which is part of the set of candlesticks, has four faces with the addition of the lily, which is also a symbol of Our Lady.
The statues of the Apostles, which are placed on the altar during the titular feast, are made of wood in Milan. These are the original models of the set of silver apostles of the collegiate church of Bormla. They were bought from the Chapter of Bormla. The 'handmade' flowers are made of ganutel by Emanuel Sciberras from Qrendi.
The Titular Statue[edit]
As soon as it was confirmed and decided that the title of our church should be that of Our Lady under the title of Lourdes, this statue was immediately ordered. Until this statue was completed, another statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was temporarily brought in, a statue borrowed from the Capuchin friars' convent of Għajn Dwieli. This statue was first placed in the small church of San Ġwann tal-Għargħar, which is now used by the members of the museum. On July 16, 1959, she was taken from there on a solemn pilgrimage to a church dedicated to her. This was the first occasion of a public manifestation to Our Lady under the title of Lourdes in this village, at that time known as Imsieraħ, which was placed under her protection.
On June 17, 1960, the new statue of Our Lady of Lourdes arrived from Italy. The statue was blessed in the Basilica of Sant' Elena in Birkirkara by the provost-archpriest, Mons. Emmauel Vella, on the 23rd of April 1961, and from there she was taken on a pilgrimage to the church of Imsieraħ. The members of the chapter of the Collegiate of Birkirkara and of the community of Capuchin friars took part in the pilgrimage, together with associations and the numerous people of Birkirkara and San Gwann.
The statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was paid for by Mr. Mikiel Sciberras, nicknamed Gozitan. The wooden rays on the back of this statue were worked by a carpenter from Balzan in his own house, a little every day after his day's work. It was not easy to connect the large rays to the statue, mainly due to the lack of the necessary tools. Therefore, after a request to the "Royal Air Force" authorities, four British experts came, and they placed the beams on the back of the statue. On the 20th of December 1960, the silver diademe for the head of the statue of the Madonna was made, the work of Joseph Pirotta of Naxxar. On April 19, 1961, a garland was made for the same statue, and it was made by Emanuel Sciberras. The blue pavilion and the crown that are erected during the feast week were made in 1963 and were paid for by Father Mattew Sultana OFM Cap, with the money he used to bring in from his work as a rosary beads maker, which he used to do all the time. In 1963, four silver gastris were also made, which are used for bouquets of ganutell, and during the feast, these are mounted around the statue. Two of these were paid by Mr. Ġuzeppi Micallef and his wife Lorenza, and the other two by a person who did not want to be named. The ganutell flowers for these four gastris were made by Mr. Emanuel Sciberras, from Qrendi. On August 4, 1978, two golden roses were placed at the feet of the titular statue after being blessed by abbot Fr. Angelo Mifsud O.S.B. These were worked on by Joseph Cassar.
Elevation to Parish Church[edit]
With the growing number of residents, the need was felt for the locality to become a parish, and the church authorities accepted their request on September 12, 1965. In a pastoral letter, Mons. Michael Gonzi announced that the locality of Imsieraħ today called San Ġwann, became a new parish and was to have as its titular patron saint Our Lady of Lourdes. Thus the parish was inaugurated on September 21, 1965, and friar Leopold Tabone OFM Cap., was appointed as the first parish priest.
References[edit]
- ^ "The Franciscan Capuchins (O.F.M. CAP.)". Archdiocese of Malta. Retrieved 2023-06-01.