Posts Tagged ‘Giuseppe Sammut’

  • L-EQDEM PRESEPJU MALTI

    Dan l-aħħar ir-raġel qed jgħid li qed jinkwieta… peress li spiss sirt insib ruħi nħuf f’xi monasteru jew ieħor! Iżda xi tridni nagħmel jekk f’dawn il-binjiet li sa ftit ilu kont Il-grotta tal-presepju tal-Imdinainħares lejhom b’tant formalità, qed niltaqa’ ma’ nies interessanti ferm li jilqgħuni b’idejhom miftuħa? Min-naħa l-oħra, permezz ta’ dawn il-mawriet, qed nirrealizza kemm teżori uniċi jinsabu għas-satra u l-kenn ta’ dawn il-postijiet. U bħala kittieba, inħoss id-dmir li nibqa’ nfittex sabiex naqsam magħkom dawn l-iskoperti żgħar tiegħi.

    Did-darba l-għatx għat-tagħrif ħadni fil-qalba tal-Imdina, ġewwa l-monasteru ta’ San Pietru fejn jabitaw is-Sorijiet Benedittini tal-Klawsura. Kont ilni sena sħiħa nixxennaq biex nidħol f’dan il-post minħabba li sirt naf li hemm ġew kien hemm l-eqdem presepju eżistenti fil-gżejjer Maltin. Finalment, proprju f’dawn il-ġranet tal-Milied, irnexxieli niftiehem mal-Badessa Sr. Maria Adeodata Testaferrata de Noto OSB biex inżur dan il-presepju. Barra minn hekk, hi laqqgħatni ma’ Joseph Flask, kittieb u riċerkatur ferventi tal-ħajja u l-istorja ta’ din l-Ordni Benedittina sabiex ikun jista’ jipprovdini b’aktar tagħrif dwar il-presepju nnifsu.

    Qabel imxejna għall-presepju, Joseph beda jinfurmani ftit dwar l-Istorja tal-Monasteru.

    “L-oriġini ta’ dal-monasteru tmur lura għall-1414 meta l-patrijiet Benedittini  ta’ San Niccolo’ l’Arena ingħataw dar bħala donazzjoni. Dawn il-patrijiet kienuIt-triq għall-monasteru magħrufa sewwa fl-Imdina u matul is-snin huma rnexxielhom jakkwistaw numru ta’ proprjetà oħra li kienu jinfdu f’xulxin, fl-inħawi tal-kappella ċkejkna li kienet iddedikata lil San Pietru. Fl-1418 dan il-bini nbidel fi sptar għall-patrijiet morda jew anzjani imma meta fl-1427 dawn il-patrijiet iddeċidew li jħallu l-pajjiż, in-nobbli tal-Imdina wrew ix-xewqa li l-bini jinbidel f’monasteru għas-Sorijiet Benedittini tal-Klawsura. Għalhekk huma xtraw il-proprjetà kollha li kellhom il-patrijiet u fl-1430 ġiet stabbilita l-ewwel komunità femminili reliġjuża f’Malta. Il-grupp tas-Sorijiet Benedittini beda jitkattar ġmielu hekk kif bosta xebbiet minn familji nobbli bdew jingħaqdu ma’ dil-komunità. Dawn ix-xebbiet ġabu magħhom ġid kbir u ftit ftit il-monasteru ssawwar f’dak li nsibu llum.”

    Ħriġna f’wieħed mill-kurituri prinċipali u issa stajt nammira l-ġmiel arkitettoniku tal-post. Kont qed inħossni tassew kurjuża biex nara l-presepju L-eqdem presepju Maltiimma sadanittant, aħna u mexjin lejn il-qalba tal-monasteru, għajnejja ntlew bid-dettalji rfinati li kien mogħni bihom dal-bini. Kont tassew konxja illi hemm ġew mhux la kemm ħa toqgħod dieħla u ħierġa u allura xtaqt nieħu miegħi kemm jista’ jkun memorji. Finalment wasalna quddiem il-presepju u stennejt sakemm il-Badessa u Joseph neħħew il-purtieri u fetħu t-twejqiet tal-ħġieġ kbar li kienu qed jostruh.

    “Mhux magħruf preċiżament kemm għandu żmien dan il-presepju u naturalment lanqas ma nafu min kien dak li ħadmu oriġinarjament. Żgur li kien diġa’ jeżisti fis-Seklu XVIII fi żmien l-Isqof ta’ Malta Fra Paolo Alpheran de Bussan (1728-1758) hekk kif jidher minn tagħrif li sibt, fejn dan l-Isqof reġa’ ġedded l-indulġenza ta’ 40 jum li kellu fuqu l-presepju lil kull min fil-lejl tal-Milied jieqaf quddiemu u jgħid Missierna, Sliema u Glorja. L-indulġenza, bl-istess kundizzjonijiet kienet reġgħet iġġeddedt  u anki miżjuda għal 200 Jum, minn Mons. Mikiel Gonzi, Arċisqof ta’ Malta fit-22 ta’ Lulju 1958.

    Barra minn hekk, minn xi kitbiet li jidhru fuq in-naħa ta’ wara tal-presepju jirriżulta li dan kien ġie restawrat iktar minn darba. L-Restawrazzjoni tal-1846ewwel restawratur aktarx ħalla ffirmat ismu bl-inizzjali G.B.G u d-data 1826 fuq ġenb minnhom ta’ kastell. Fuq il-ġenb l-ieħor dan kiteb ukoll l-ittri A.M.G.V.S. li jfissru ‘Ad Majorem Gloriam Verbi Sancti’ – Għall-akbar ġieħ tal-Iben Imqaddes t’Alla. Fl-1846 il-presepju ġie mkabbar aktar fuq in-naħa tal-lemin u dan jidher ċar minn sinjali evidenti ħafna. Min għamel dar-restawr, bħal ta’ qablu, ħalla l-inizzjali G.G. Imbagħad fl-1977 ċertu Giuseppe Sammut għamel xi rtokki fuqu li maġġorment kienu jikkonsistu fil-pittura tax-xenarju li qed naraw fuq wara.”

    Joseph fetaħli n-naħa ta’ wara tal-presepju u hemmhekk ilmaħt dawn il-firem imħażża b’żebgħa ħamra. Ħassejtni daqs li kieku kont qed inħares fuq il-passat tiegħu u nistqarr Restawrazzjonijiet tal-1826 u tal-1977magħkom li bdejt ninkedd kif fi żminijiet oħra ma kellhomx ħabta jħallu aktar dettalji speċifiċi. Meta tkun tapprezza dawn l-affarijiet, kważi kważi tħosshom li jixtiequ jkellmuk imma ma jistgħux. Il-preżenza tagħhom donnha tipprovokak biex tiskopri aktar evidenza u dak is-sens ta’ impotenza fik jifilġek. Wara li ħadt xi ritratti, erġajna mxejna len in-naħa ta’ quddiem tiegħu.

    “Il-presepju hu maħdum mill-kartapesta u mill-ixkejjer. In-naħa tax-xellug tiegħu, fejn hemm il-grotta, hija l-aktar parti antika u daqstant ieħor il-pasturi li nsibu hemm.

    Issa għandek tinnota illi dan il-presepju għandu partikolarità interessanti ħafna għax għall-kuntrarju ta’ dak li ssib fi presepji oħra, hawnhekk il-pasturi maPasturi differenti jaqblux bejniethom. Min magħmul ċkejken, min hu akbar, min bi stil, min b’ieħor. Ir-raġuni ta’ dan kollu hija illi dawn il-pasturi żieduhom is-sorijiet infushom matul is-snin. Dak iż-żmien kien hemm id-drawwa li jirregalaw il-pasturi fi żmien il-Milied u għalhekk, hekk kif xi soru kienet taqla’ wieħed, kienet tmur tħaffef issiblu post adattat fil-presepju. Iżda f’xi mumenti, mhux il-pasturi tal-Milied biss sabu ruħhom inklużi mal-popolazzjoni t’hemm ġew. Ħares sewwa fil-fond lejn il-ġenb ta’ dik id-dar. Qed taraha dik l-istatwa klassika Griega moħbija ħdejn il-kantuniera? Dik waħda minnhom!”

    Iva! Hekk kien. Tbissimt. Minn quddiem għajnejja għaddiet bħal leħħa x-xena ta’ soru minnhom li minn hemm u minn hawn irnexxielha tħalli proprju lil dik l-istatwaL-istatwa klassika hemmhekk. Issa stajt nara dan il-presepju minn perspettiva oħra u dlonk daħal ftit aktar f’qalbi. Għax allura fhimt li hemmhekk, f’dik ir-rokna mdaqqsa tal-monasteru, kien hemm aktar minn sempliċi presepju antik. Infatti kien hemm ukoll il-memorji personali ta’ numru kbir ta’ sorijiet li qattgħu ħajjithom jgħixu hemm. U waħda minn dawn ma kienet ħadd għajr il-Beata Maria Adeodata Pisani OSB.

    “Fis-16 ta’ Lulju 1828 hija daħlet bħala postulanta f’dan il-monasteru u għexet hawn għal diversi snin fejn fostom serviet anki bħala Badessa. Dan il-presepju kien għal qalbha ħafna u kellha devozzjoni kbira lejh. Xhieda ta’ dan hija s-sensiela ‘Fioretti in onore del Divino Bambino Gesù’  li tikkonsisti f’21 fjurett li hija kitbet meta ġiet ispirata minn dix-xena tat-twelid ta’ Ġesù Bambin.  Oriġinarjament il-fjuretti kienu miktuba bit-Taljan imma biex ikunu aktar aċċessibbli għall-pubbliku, jiena ttraduċejthom għall-Malti taħt it-titlu ‘Il-Fjuretti tal-Milied’. Speċjalment tul in-Novena tal-Milied, il-Beata Maria Adeodata Pisani kienet tħobb tiġbor lil ħutha s-sorijiet quddiem dan il-presepju sabiex joqogħdu jitolbu u jimmeditaw quddiemu. Il-Beata mietet proprju f’dal-monasteru fl-età ta’ 48 sena, fil-25 ta’ Frar 1855.”

    B’sorpriża kbira, hekk kif konna qed induru mal-presepju, Joseph intebaħ b’firma oħra li qatt ma kien ra qabel! Kienet tinsab fuq in-naħa ta’ waraInizzjali skoperti ġodda ta’ bini li hemm fil-parti ta’ quddiem tal-presepju. Bi tbatija, daħħalna l-kamera biex nifhmu x’kien hemm miktub. Ir-ritratt żvela tħarbixa b’żebgħa ħamra li kienet iġġib l-inizzjali G.G. u oħrajn inqas ċari, aktarx G.I. Evidentement il-presepju għandu ħafna aktar x’jgħidilna… Il-Badessa preżenti qaltli illi f’lejlet il-Milied is-sorijiet żammew id-drawwa tradizzjonali li jagħmlu purċissjoni madwar il-monasteru li tispiċċa quddiem dan il-presepju fejn imbagħad jitqiegħed l-inċens u jsir xi talb u kant.

    “Presepju bħal dan għandu valur storiku qawwi imma fih ukoll sinifikat purament spiritwali. Għax għalkemm dawn is-sorijiet qed jgħixu fil-klawsura u kif ngħidu huma maqtugħin mill-ħajja tad-dinja, però huma qegħdin jgħixu f’dinja. Għaldaqstant bħal bnedmin l-oħra kollha għandhom bżonn dik ix-xi ħaġa materjali u tanġibbli li tgħinhom jifhmu l-importanza ta’ dan il-misteru tat-twelid ta’ Ġesù Bambin fid-dinja.”

    Wara li ħadt xi ritratti tiegħu u tajtu l-aħħar titwila, il-presepju reġa’ ngħalaq f’postu u nsatar mill-ġdid. Sellimna lil xulxin u l-bieb il-kbirPasturi antiki fil-presepju tal-Imdina tal-monasteru ngħalaq warajja. Bqajt wieqfa fuq il-bankina għal ftit tal-ħin. In-nies, ħafna minnhom turisti, kienu għaddejjin iħaffu mit-triq ta’ quddiem dal-bini silenzjuż sabiex ifittxu jaraw is-soliti attrazzjonijiet. Min-naħa tiegħi, kont qed inħossni qisni għadni kif qomt minn xi ħolma u biex naċċerta ruħi ttawwalt malajr lejn ir-ritratti li kont għadni kif ġbidt bil-kamera. Imma hemm kienu! Ma kontx ħlomt. Għalhekk iddeċidejt li ma nitlifx aktar ħin u ħaffift lejn il-karozza biex infittex inniżżel ħsibijieti sakemm kienu għadhom friski. Ma ridt inħallilkhom xejn barra minn din l-esperjenza tant unika.

    (Nota: Dan l-artiklu ġie ppubblikat fit-Torċa tas-26 ta’ Diċembru 2010)

    2010.12.26 / no responses / Category: Torca - Perspettivi

  • THE NATIVITY IN MINIATURE

    When the last month of the year steals its way into our hearts, we find ourselves in a world of light, colours, dreams, hopes and Christmas… and nothing symbolises theNativity Scene - Close up Christmas spirit better than the nativity scene captured in a traditional crib. Fiona Vella went in search of two remarkable examples of this long-standing Maltese tradition.

    As December comes round, out come the boxes  loaded with colourful accessories and delights which were stored away the previous year: a disassembled Christmas tree, some intricate ornaments and a few old cherished cards.

    Yet nothing compares to the allure of a precious crib with its little figurines and the statuette of baby Jesus which needs to be warmed up with Ġulbiena, at least in a country with a strong Christian Road to the monasterytradition like Malta. The annual ritual of setting up the crib is fascinating, but what is this enigmatic fascination which draws us each year to recreate this nativity scene?  To unearth this riddle I decided to go back to our roots, seeking out two beautiful antique treasures which lie within our intriguing island.

    MDINA

    The first gem is situated deep in the heart of the medieval town of Mdina, shielded in the core of St Peter’s Monastery, the domicile of the Benedictine Cloistered Nuns.

    With the aid of Joseph Flask, a diligent writer about the life and history of the Benedictine Monastic Order, I was allowed to meet the Rev. Mother Abbess Sr. Maria Adeodata Testaferrata de Noto OSB who received me warmly and invited me to view the oldest known static crib in Malta.

    The monastery itself is a magnificent historic and architectural site, dating back to the 15th century. Nevertheless the experience of stepping inside a location which is customarily prohibited to The Mdina Criboutsiders’ eyes took that sense of magnificence one step further.

    Up the stairs and along the innermost corridors, lying dormant behind a wide glass case and heavy curtains was my ‘prize’, and I was overwhelmed with emotion as I beheld this rarely seen fine example of one of the highest Maltese traditions.

    No one knows who was its original creator or when it was built, but probably the crib’s first restoration took place in 1826, as the earliest painted signature G.B.GNew discovered initials indicates. A similar unspecified restorer enlarged the crib in 1846 and left a simple mark of G.G. A final revamp dates back to 1977, this time clearly signed by Giuseppe Sammut who painted and added the crib’s scenery.

    Incredibly, while we were exploring the crib, we chanced upon another signature which Joseph had never noticed before – a coarse reddish scribbling bearing the initials G.G and a not so clear G.I. Evidently the crib seems to hold even more challenges and clues for devotees to decipher.

    The crib is embedded with personal memories of several people. In fact, a closer glimpse at its figurines lying around theDifferent figurines unrefined landscape made of glued old sacks and newspapers, reveals that oddly most of the figures do not match each other, either in style, age or even size!  This effect was initiated by the nuns themselves when they resolved to bestow the original crib’s population with every relative statuette that came in their possession! Amusingly, more intense exploration discloses even extraneous insertions; such as the Greek classic statuette and an irrelevant building situated at the back. Peculiar as it might seem, this reality exudes a tender feeling as one realizes that the crib actually encompasses the love and memories of each nun that lived with it.

    The crib is in fact of somewhat crucial help to the cloistered nuns, helping them to evoke theColourful old figurine meaning behind the holy birth; a tangible item in a life withdrawn from the usual worldly pleasures, which constantly reminds them of the sweet joy of Christmas. Indeed, this very crib inspired the renowned short writings of the Blessed Maria Adeodata Pisani OSB who lived in the monastery for several years. And to this day, the crib continues to instigate the spirits of the other nuns when on Christmas Eve they celebrate a traditional procession which ends up in front of it.

    ŻEJTUN

    The other route to discovery led me to the quaint village of Żejtun, again to another convent but this time to see the oldest, large, Maltese mechanical crib, which dates back to 1945, a period whereinBishop Emmanuel Galea our island lay ravaged from the destruction of World War II. It was this devastation that inspired Mons. Emmanuel Galea to create a unique religious symbol as he saw that people desperately needed to rekindle their faith and hope of a better life.

    Together with his nephew Pawlu Pavia he devised a plan to build a large mechanical crib which could be motor-driven.Pawlu Pavia

    I found Pawlu, now 86,  residing in St Vincent De Paule’s residence. Despite his old age, he reconstructed the whole story with sharp clarity and also with a touch of melancholy.

    He remembers how some workers were brought in to build a platform made from random pieces of broken doors and windows. Moreover, three openings were cut in one of the room’s wall as the cribŻejtun crib had to represent three sections: what happened before the birth of Jesus Christ, the actual birth itself and what occurred thereafter.

    The fabrication of papier machè and the layout of the crib he made with the bishop, while he alone  was responsible for building the crib’s figurines from wood and iron wire. However the hardest taskThe presentation of Jesus in the temple was to find some ingenious way of motorizing the figurines’ movements and to actually interelate them at a time when resources were very few. Another difficulty was to surpass the dilemma of an unstable electric current. Incredibly he did all this by means of one single motor which he succeeded to find in a remote shop. Even more incredible is that after 65 years, the crib still functions with this same system!

    This journey also led me to Sister Pawlina Gauci, now 78,  who, together with the late Sr. Angela, had the responsibility of dressing the figures. Her three yearsSwor Pawlina Gauci missionary work in Persia (now Iran) aided her with good knowledge of the type of material to be used and one by one the figures were clothed with several samples of fabric which a number of shops had contributed.

    Both Pawlu and Sr. Pawlina recall the commotion that this crib raised when it was opened to the public for the first time during Christmas of 1947. Visitors came from all over Malta and there was such a big crowd that the police had to intervene to keep control of the situation!

    Now that Pawlu is retired, the crib passed into the care of his nephew Joseph Pavia,Joseph Pavia whose great dedication to it is no lesser than his uncle’s. In fact during the last years Joseph renovated the visitors’ room and included a very interesting documentary which recounts the whole story of this crib in five different languages.

    Remarkably, even this crib seems to bear the destiny to be associated with holiness as currently there is the process of the cause for canonization of its instigator, Mons. Emmanuel Galea.

    As I left the crib, I pondered about the dedication and devotion behind their creation. The endeavour, the ritual, the almost childish happiness to share a crib with others… all lead to an ancient dream Żejtun convent which St Francis of Assisi had foreseen a long time ago in the village of Greccio. For through its modesty, a crib reminds us that the spirit of Christmas is simple and that it is meant to reach out to our hearts and souls and bathe them in the joy of the birth of Jesus.

    (This article was published in FIRST magazine, Issue December 2010. FIRST magazine is delivered with The Malta Independent on Sunday)

    2010.12.16 / no responses / Category: Malta Independent on Sunday - First magazine