Posts Tagged ‘ex-voto’

  • Temmen jekk trid

    Soqt għal għonq it-triq lejn il-Mellieħa taħt sema tqila bi sħab iswed ċomb u tlabt bil-qalb li nilħaq nasal qabel din ifettlilha tiftaħ bwiebha… U oħroġ il-għaġeb, hekk kif missejt mat-tarġa tal-bieb tas-Santwarju tal-Madonna tal-Mellieħa, inħoss l-ewwel qatriet qawwija nieżla fuq dahri, li mill-ewwel inbidlu f’xita qalila, hekk kif dħalt ġewwa għall-kenn ta’ dan ir-rifuġju sagru. Għajnejja mill-ewwel waqgħu fuq dak li kont mort għalih – in-numru kbir ta’ kwadri ex-voto mwaħħla mal-ħitan. U hekk kif rajt lil Jimmy Muscat riesaq isellimli, ma domtx ma ntbaħt li għal darb’oħra, kont ser niskopri xi erbgħa stejjer interessanti mhux ħażin.

    P1130729Infatti, kien proprju l-ktieb ta’ dan l-awtur ‘Ex-Voto: Santwarju tal-Madonna tal-Mellieħa’ li ġibidni lejn dan il-post. F’dan il-ktieb li hu wkoll speċi ta’ katalogu, Jimmy jippreżenta ġabra tal-110 kwadru ex-voto li rnexxielhom isalvaw sal-ġurnata ta’ llum f’dan is-santwarju, fejn 64 minnhom għandhom tema marittima, filwaqt li l-oħrajn juru xeni ta’ mard u inċidenti li n-nies irnexxielhom ifiequ minnhom. Naturalment, kull kwadru għandu l-istorja partikolari tiegħu imma mhux kull wieħed fih id-dettalji ta’ dan ir-rakkont miktubin fuqu. Uħud mill-kwadri għandhom xi deskrizzjoni ta’ dak li kien seħħ biex saret din il-pittura, oħrajn għandhom biss id-data mniżżla fuqhom, filwaqt li numru ieħor juru l-ittri V.F.G.A. (Votum Fecit Gratiam Accepit) li jfisser li l-wegħda ntalbet u l-grazzja nqalgħet. Fl-istess ħin, anki jekk numru ta’ xogħolijiet m’għandhom l-ebda kitba fuqhom, jekk wieħed jiflihom sewwa, xorta waħda jista’ jinnota xi dettalji li kapaċi jagħtuh indikazzjoni tal-kuntest tagħhom, bħal ngħidu aħna mit-tip ta’ xwieni, mill-bnadar li jkollhom fuqhom, mill-inħawi li jidhru fl-isfond, mill-ilbies tan-nies u mill-għamara tad-djar. Għaldaqstant, dawn l-ex-voto mhumiex biss xhieda tat-twemmin tal-popli matul iż-żminijiet imma anki riflessjoni tal-istorja u tas-soċjetajiet differenti li ħallew dan il-wirt tagħhom f’dan il-post.

    P1120168Imma, ejja nimxu lura fis-snin, lejn il-bidu ta’ dan is-sit… Skont l-istudji fl-istorja tal-Mellieħa li għamel Jimmy, jidher li qabel is-17 il-seklu, l-inħawi ta’ fejn illum jinsab dan is-santwarju, kienu biss għerien naturali. Minħabba l-attakki spissi tal-pirati li kienu jsibu l-bajja tal-Mellieħa mira faċli biex minnha jitilgħu l-art, l-inħawi tal-madwar kienu meqjusa bħala perikolużi wisq biex wieħed jgħix fihom. Probabbilment kien hemm xi wħud li kienu jazzardaw jgħixu f’xi għerien tal-madwar, imma dawn kienu jafu li kienu qed jilgħabu xortihom kuljum hemmhekk. Intant, skont xi dokumenti li nstabu, jidher li fl-1640 kien beda t-tħaffir tal-inħawi fejn illum jinsab is-santwarju. Iżda mill-ġdid, minħabba l-invażjonijiet minn perjodu għall-ieħor tal-pirati, intilfu ħafna dokumenti sinifikanti minn dan il-post u fil-fatt il-manuskritti li għandna llum jibdew mit-18 il-seklu.

    P1120126Il-ħaġa tal-iskantament hija illi għalkemm dawn l-inħawi kienu meqjusa tat-twegħir, bosta pellegrini xorta waħda kienu jirriskjaw ħajjithom sabiex iżuru wieħed minn dawn l-għerien li kien meqjus bħala sagru minħabba xbieha partikolari li kellu fuq il-ħajt. Dan għaliex it-tradizzjoni tgħid li din ix-xbieha tal-Madonna bil-Bambin f’idejha kien pinġiha fuq il-blat San Luqa, meta fis-sena 60W.K. huwa kien qiegħed f’Malta flimkien ma’ sieħbu San Pawl, u għalhekk din  kienet ikkunsidrata bħala mirakoluża. Tradizzjoni oħra relatata ma’ dan il-post tirrakkonta illi fis-sena 409W.K. grupp ta’ isqfijiet kienu żaru dan l-għar u meta raw din it-tpinġija ta’ San Luqa mal-blat u t-twemmin sod li kien hemm marbut magħha, huma ddeċidew li jikkonsagraw dan il-post bħala knisja.

    P1120131Li nafu fiż-żgur huwa li maż-żmien, inbena santwarju sħiħ madwar ikona li turi x-xbieha tal-Madonna bil-Bambin f’idha. Barra minn hekk inbnew ukoll xi kmamar għall-pellegrini fejn dawn setgħu jistrieħu ftit qabel jerħulha lura lejn l-abitat tagħhom. Sal-ġurnata ta’ llum,  bosta pellegrini għadhom iżuru dan il-post biex jitolbu l-għajnuna tal-Madonna tal-Mellieħa quddiem din ix-xbieha. Min-naħa l-oħra, xi studjużi tal-arti għandhom ukoll interess f’din ix-xbieha peress li għad hemm diversi mistoqsijiet relatati magħha. Fosthom hu maħsub li l-ikona li qed naraw fil-preżent, kienet saret fit-13 il-seklu. Iżda mid-dehra taħt din it-tpinġija, hemm oħra ferm aktar antika minnha, minħabba li waqt li kien qed isirilha xi restawr, beda joħroġ xi fdal tad-deheb minn taħtha. Dan jindika l-possibilità li jista’ jkun hemm xbieha eqdem mgħottija b’dik preżenti. Sadanittant, minn dokumenti tal-visti pastorali li saru matul is-snin, Jimmy skopra li għal aktar minn darba, l-isqfijiet ta’ dawk il-perjodi kienu qed jinnutaw li x-xbieha tal-Madonna kienet qed tisfuma biż-żmien u għalhekk huma talbu biex titpinġa oħra fuqha sabiex il-pellegrini jkunu jistgħu jibqgħu jaraw u jidentifikaw max-xbieha tal-Madonna li għaliha kienu qed jiġu f’dan il-post.

    P1120141Hekk kif għajnejja ġrew fuq l-ammonti ta’ kwadri ex-voto li jmorru lura għal mijiet ta’ snin, fihom ilmaħt it-tama ta’ bosta individwi li akkost li kienu f’ibħra ‘l bogħod minn xtutna, talbiethom xorta waħda daret lejn il-Madonna li fiha huma kellhom l-akbar fiduċja – dik tas-Santwarju tal-Mellieħa. Iżda ma kienux biss il-Maltin li kienu jiggranfaw ma’ din il-karba għall-għajnuna divina ta’ din il-Madonna meta l-mewt kienet daqstant viċin! Infatti kienu ħafna l-individwi barranin li kienu rregalaw il-kwadri ex-voto tagħhom lil dan is-santwarju meta rritornaw qawwijin u sħaħ lejn pajjiżna. Fost dawn kien hemm il-ġeneral tal-flotta tal-Ordni, Fra Antonio Correa (Montenegro) li wiegħed u ta kwadru mill-isbaħ lill-Madonna tas-Santwarju tal-Mellieħa wara li x-xwieni li kien responsabbli minnhom inqabdu f’maltempata tal-biża’ waqt li kienu qed jaqsmu u jbaħħru qrib il-gżejjer ta’ Taranto fl-1678 u finalment irnexxielhom isalvaw. Ex-voto ieħor pjuttost kurjuż huwa dak li jidher proprju fil-qoxra tal-ktieb ta’ Jimmy fejn did-darba, il-Madonna li tidher fuq ix-xbieha  tal-ex-voto, tixbaħ ħafna lill-Madonna tal-Monasteru ta’ Kykkos li jinsab f’Ċipru u għalhekk hija għal kollox differenti minn dik tal-Mellieħa. Għaldaqstant wieħed jistaqsi kif dan ix-xogħol ġie inkluż ma’ din il-kollezzjoni tas-santwarju? Kitba fuq dan l-ex-voto li tidher li hi ta’ lingwa antika Russa u Griega, taf tipprovdi xi indikazzjoni dwar din ir-raġuni, iżda s’issa ħadd għadu ma rnexxielu jiddeċifra x’hemm miktub.

    P1120138Kwadri oħra, daqstant emozzjonali, juru persuni jew familji qed jitolbu bil-ħrara għall-qraba morda tagħhom u mill-ġdid hawnhekk, apparti li f’dawn il-wegħdi naraw is-simboli tat-twemmin, fl-istess ħin għandna stampa ċara tas-sitwazzjoni tas-saħħa li kien hawn f’pajjiżna matul is-snin, fejn fosthom uħud kienu mardu bil-malarja, bit-tuberkolożi, bil-pneumonia, bil-ġidri, bil-kolera, bid-difterite u anki bil-pesta. Fost dawn, laqgħatni ħafna kwadru minnhom li juri xena ta’ sptar tal-pesta tal-1813. Dan il-kwadru kien wiegħda magħmulha minn Anna Lungaro u l-qarib tagħha Giovanni Portelli peress li hi kienet mardet bil-marda tal-pesta u permezz tal-ħniena divina tal-Madonna tal-Mellieħa, nhar it-Tlieta, 17 t’Awwissu 1813, hi u tnejn oħra biss mill-160 persuna li kien hemm fl-isptar tal-pesta, irnexxielhom isalvaw.

    P1120134Jimmy kompla jdawwarni madwar is-santwarju li ġewwa fih jinkorpora wkoll l-għerien naturali tal-post li indubbjament jagħtuh laqta’ pjuttost insolita u surreali. Iżda daqstant ieħor bqajt impressjonata bil-kwantità ta’ ex-voto oħrajn li kellhom kull xorta ta’ forma: ittri, ritratti, x-rays, ċertifikati, ilbies tat-trabi, krozzi, u dak kollu li tista’ timmaġina. Wegħdi magħmula mhux biss mill-Maltin imma minn kull ġens li qatt żar dan il-post. Infatti peress li fil-Mellieħa hemm diversi lukandi, it-turisti spiss isibu ruħhom f’dan il-lok, u anki dawk li mhumiex Kristjani, xorta waħda jiġu mistiedna biex jittawwlu u jaraw x’hemm. Uħud minn dawn, imqanqla minn dik ix-xhieda kollha ta’ sabar, fejqan u mirakli, bla ma jafu kif, isibu ruħhom huma wkoll jitolbu l-għajnuna quddiem il-Madonna u numru minnhom, jerġgħu jirritornaw lura lejn gżiritna bir-rigal tagħhom meta talbhom jinstema’. Minn fost il-ħafna oġġetti li kien hemm, sibt ruħi qiegħda naqra ġrajja minn ġurnal li kienet qed tirrakkonta kif koppja Ingliża li t-tobba kienu qatgħulhom qalbhom li għad ikollhom tarbija, meta żaru dan is-santwarju u għamlu t-talba tagħhom, huma rritornaw lejn artna tmien snin wara b’żewġt itfal tagħhom.

    P1120122Ex-voto oħra ta’ qisien differenti, li ħafna minnhom ġew maħdumin mill-fidda fid-19 il-seklu, juru diversi partijiet tal-ġisem bħala rappreżentazzjoni ta’ b’hiex kien marid l-individwu li għamel il-wegħda. Numru minnhom għandhom forma ta’ qalb imma dawn huma simbolu tal-imħabba lejn il-Madonna. Oħrajn juru par għajnejn u id u dawn kienu jissimbolizzaw is-superstizzjoni tal-magħmul li ġej mill-għajn. Bħall-oġġetti l-oħra, anki dawn jitfgħu dawl fuq is-soċjetà li għamlithom, hekk kif l-abbundanza li ngħataw biha u l-fatt li ħafna minnhom huma identiċi, juru li tant kien hemm talba għal dawn il-wegħdi, li dawn l-oġġetti kienu qed jiġu manifatturati fil-kwantità u mibjugħa. Iżda darba minnhom kien ġie żmien meta isqof partikolari kien beda jitnaffar minn dawn l-affarijiet, uħud minnhom saħansitra superstizzjużi, imwaħħla madwar l-artali tal-knejjes kollha! U għalhekk hu ordna li dawn kellhom jitneħħew minnufih u jiġu merfugħa fis-sagristija, b’eċċezzjoni tal-qalb li kienet tirrappreżenta l-imħabba lejn il-Madonna. Infatti Jimmy għadu sa llum isib minn dawn l-ex-voto fil-kaxxi iżda hu jemmen li rigward dawn il-wegħdi, jiswew kemm jiswew, u juru x’juru, jeżisti l-obbligu li dawn jintwerew fil-pubbliku peress li huma kienu kollha doni li ngħataw b’qima, b’rispett u b’imħabba lill-Madonna. Għaldaqstant hu qed jagħmel minn kollox biex jesponi kull oġġett li jingħata lis-santwarju, akkost il-problema tal-ispazju u l-fatt li dawn il-wegħdi għadhom deħlin.

    P1130721Proġett ieħor li dejjem isus fuq moħħ Jimmy jirrigwarda r-restawr tal-kwadri ex-voto sabiex dawn jiġu konservati għar-referenza tal-ġenerazzjonijiet li ġejjin warajna. Huwa jixtieq ħafna li jsib xi sponsors li jkunu jistgħu jagħtuh daqqa t’id biex isir dan ir-restawr. Sfortunatament, in-nuqqas ta’ għarfien fiż-żminijiet antiki dwar kif kien l-aħjar mezz kif jinżammu oġġetti bħal dawn, kien wassal għall-qerda ta’ għadd ta’ kwadri sinifikanti u min jaf kemm informazzjoni ntilfet! Infatti bosta minn dawn il-kwadri kienu ġew mormija wara li sofrew danni peress li tpoġġew direttament fuq blat umduż, filwaqt li oħrajn ġew anki maħsula bl-ilma wara li swiedu minħabba n-nugrufun li tqanqal mill-kwantità ta’ xemgħat u ftili taż-żejt li kienu jinxtegħlu għal siegħat twal fis-santwarju!

    P1120170Temminx jew le f’dawn il-mirakli jew fl-istess reliġjon innifsu, ma naħsibx li tista’ tibqa’ biered għal kollox fil-preżenza ta’ din il-ġabra mmensa tat-tifkiriet ta’ nies li emmnu, afdaw u qalgħu l-għajnuna meta l-aktar li kellhom bżonnha. Ċertament jagħmel tajjeb li kieku intom jirnexxielkhom issibu ftit ħin biex iżżuru dan il-post sinifikanti ħafna f’pajjiżna u fil-kultura tagħna sabiex b’hekk taraw b’għajnejkhom, tmissu b’idejkhom u tħossu b’qalbkhom.

    Is-Santwarju tal-Madonna tal-Mellieħa jkun miftuħ mis-7.00am sa nofsinhar u mill-4.00pm sas-6.00pm. Issir ukoll quddiesa kuljum fit-8.30am, filwaqt li dik tal-Ħadd tibda fl-10.00am u tkun bl-Ingliż.

    (Dan l-artiklu ġie ppubblikat fit-Torċa tas-26 ta’ Jannar 2014 fis-sensiela Ġabriet it-Tifkiriet)

     

    2017.09.03 / no responses / Category: Torca - Features & Articles

  • Keeping the faith: ex-voto paintings

    Guzeppi Theuma with ex-voto in Zabbar Sanctuary Museum Carmen Axiaq with her ex-voto

    The oldest undated maritime ex-voto in Zabbar Sanctuary Museum  Ex-voto in Zabbar Sanctuary Museum showing fishermen in distress after being toppled in the sea by huge fish (photo by Guzeppi Theuma)

    In the old days, the sea played a prominent role in peoples’ lives, especially to island inhabitants. It was a source of livelihood for fishermen, a fortuitous space for pirates, a bridge to other countries for travellers, merchants and diplomats, and a channel for soldiers from which to attack the enemy during war.

    People were often moving on the sea on various types of vessels, constantly aware of the risk that this involved. They feared corsair attacks and the aggression of unknown dangerous species which could lurk in the waters’ depths. Yet none was worse than the actual possibility of experiencing a terrible storm where the sea turned into a formidable voracious colossus which could engulf whatever dared to be present during its deadly rage.

    Meanwhile, it was a world where people in jeopardy were generally left to deal with their own fate, and ironically it was often faith which led to their survival. Historical sources describe how people created ingenious ways of dealing with these dangers by formulating different methods to guarantee a safer voyage, habitually intermingling religion with superstition. One of these practices in Malta involved the production of sacred coins which could be thrown into the sea to calm down the troubled waters. Indeed, sailors were urged to buy these coins which were made out of blessed white candle, a day before Easter, since failure to do so was believed to attract dreadful bad luck. On the other hand, local fishermen are known to have concocted a secret prayer which only the eldest of them knew and which only they could recite in order to shield their boat against the threat of bad weather.

    Although hundreds of years have passed from these experiences, nowadays we still have the opportunity to witness the ordeal that our ancestors have gone through whilst being out at sea. Many of these testimonies are still present among us in the form of ex-voto paintings wherein devoted people have illustrated the eventful moments when they were about to die and their faith saved them. Sadly, though we have lost many of these ex-voto along the years, mainly due to improper storage and conservation methods, we still find various examples in numerous chapels, churches, sanctuaries and museums around our islands. Among these, one finds 183 maritime ex-voto in the sanctuary of Our Lady of Tal-Ħerba in Birkirkara, and another 64 in the sanctuary of Our Lady in Mellieħa.

    Another interesting collection of such ex-voto is located in the Żabbar Sanctuary Museum. Unfortunately, from the original assortment of 300 maritime ex-voto, today only 85 remain. However, as Ġużeppi Theuma, the Secretary of the Żabbar Sanctuary Museum Commission has informed me, this museum is proud to possess the oldest maritime ex-voto on our islands which as yet is still undated. The next dated ex-voto in this collection goes back to 1631, as the information written on the painting clearly shows. Moreover, this particular ex-voto manifests the full interpretation of the initials V.F.G.A. which generally accompanies several of these paintings. These letters stand for Votum Fecit et Gratiam Accepit which translate in ‘a promise was made and the grace was given’.

    Certainly, these ex-voto vary in style and artistry, since they cover various periods of time but also because they were donated by people from different levels of society wherein not all could afford to engage the best painters. Indeed, the acute details that one can observe in some of these works provide valuable information regarding the different type of vessels that were used along the years. Nevertheless all the ex-voto relate the same basic instinctive tendency of humans to turn to faith and to prayers especially when everything seems to be lost, and none other could help. An intriguing observation is that even when being on foreign seas, other than the Mediterranean and therefore far away from the mother-country, Maltese people and also the Knights of the Order which were based on our islands, generally directed their prayers to Our Lady, and particularly to one which they believed mostly in. In fact, this holy entity is clearly displayed in each of the ex-voto in order to show the viewers to whom the donator had prayed whilst being in trouble and who has saved his life. This act was meant as a thanksgiving but it was also intended to act as proof of the miraculous power of Our Lady and therefore to increase faith towards her.

    Although the tradition of donating ex-voto has almost died out, it is interesting to note that this custom is still being practiced in our country. In fact, the most recent maritime ex-voto in the Żabbar Sanctuary Museum was donated by Carmen Axiaq on the 21st September 2012. Eager to understand the thought behind this act, I met Carmen at the museum wherein she explained to me the miserable and painful moments that she and her family have gone through when her husband Mario was lost at sea for two days after he got disoriented in the fog whilst fishing. As the search went on and days passed, the possibility of finding him alive started to fade and Carmen and her family were left with no hope except to turn to Our Lady and supplicate her intervention to assist Mario. While her daughter went on Dingli cliffs shouting out her father’s name in the fervent wish to do something to help, Carmen turned to Our Lady of Graces of the Żabbar Sanctuary and she asked her to use one of the twelve stars with which she is blessed in order to enlighten the way so that her husband could come back. Thankfully, Mario was found in time by the authorities and he was brought back to land safely. The family was overwhelmed with happiness but they did not forget who had helped them during their distress. Hence, together they composed an ex-voto wherein they narrated their story and adorned it with photos and hand-made decorations, so that whoever saw it could be reminded of the miracolous potential of prayer and of the greatness of Our Lady.

    (This article was published in the Shipping and Logistics Supplement of the Times of Malta dated 5th March 2014)

    2014.03.05 / no responses / Category: Times of Malta