A Matter of Fate
For British diplomat John Hookham Frere, January became a month of sorrows…. Some say that bad luck isn’t real and that there is no such thing as luck. Yet others would strongly avoid walking under a ladder or crossing the…
Category Times of Malta
Malta’s Prehistoric Treasures
Who knows whose neck the exotic jadeite amulet adorned? To reach the Maltese shores, this item travelled a very long distance in prehistoric times. Therefore, it must have been really treasured, raising the status of its owner. It is difficult…
The Magic is in the Detail
Although the main characters of the nativity scene are Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus, different cultures have added and altered the original representation in order to include their own characteristics. Some of these varying interpretations can be viewed in a…
The Selling Game
Advertising is said to reflect the societal tastes, beliefs and norms. By looking back at the adverts that were published in the Times of Malta at the end of the years 1939 to 1944, this becomes very clear. Yet even…
Never Forgotten
Recently, Max Farrugia has donated a collection of 10,500 memorial cards to the National Archives of Malta. I was curious to learn why someone would wish to have such a collection and what was its value to the national archives.…
Ġrajjiet mhux mitmuma
35 sena mit-Traġedja tal-Patrol Boat C23 Hekk kif jibda joqrob Settembru, moħħi mill-ewwel hemm imur. Sfortunatament, meta bniedem iħalli din id-dinja, speċjalment b’mod traġiku, mal-mewt tiegħu jittiefsu wkoll diversi ħajjiet oħra li b’xi mod jew ieħor kienu jafuh. Wara n-nuqqas…
An Unexpected Visit
Francis Bernardone came upon the abandoned church of San Damiano in Assisi by accident. He was searching for a place to meditate to find a way forward for his life, when he entered the church and saw a crucifix. As…
The Sisters of the Crib
“This place was much livelier when children were around, especially in Christmas,” reminisced 60-year-old Madre Phyllis Agius of Jesus of Nazareth Institute in Żejtun. Around forty years ago, when she became a nun, the institute catered for orphans, teenage girls…
Gone but not forgotten
“St. George Preca used to say that the cemetery is the biggest book and I had the opportunity to confirm that,” revealed a Capuchin friar who served as a custodian of the Addolorata cemetery for some years. Living among the…
L-Esperjenza tal-Anzjani hija Imprezzabli
“Minħabba li ġejt nominat għall-Premju Anzjanità Attiva, flimkien ma’ għadd ta’ anzjani oħra, dan l-aħħar attendejt għall-preżentazzjoni tal-premijiet. Wieħed wara l-ieħor, ir-rebbieħa bdew jiġu msejjħa biex jitilgħu fuq il-palk ħalli jirċievu l-premju. Ismi kien l-aħħar wieħed li ġie mħabbar, bħala…