Cathedrals, Chapels & Village Feasts in Malta and Gozo

 

One of the dominant aspects of Malta, which is also a tourist attraction, is the Catholic religion. It has successfully survived as the religion of the people, despite the centuries in which the country was ruled by different rulers, because not all of them were Catholics. St. Paul of Tarsus brought Christianity to Malta when he was shipwrecked in a huge storm around 60 AD. According to tradition, he was on his way to Rome under protection to confront the Roman ruler Julius Caesar. St. Paul was supposed to answer for allegedly preaching a “new” religion that went against the Roman faith.

Hundreds of churches scattered across Malta and Gozo bear witness to the religiosity of the Maltese, who take pride in their traditional worship and celebration of the annual “festas”. Many of these churches were built stone on stone, carved and decorated by the residents of the villages and towns. Many helped with great perseverance in their free time. Some of the large parishes in the towns and villages have many colorful light bulbs that light up everywhere to match the facades, so when they are lit during the celebrations it looks very spectacular. A common feature is the ringing of church bells, which can usually be heard every half hour and hour every day.

Tourists can of course visit these churches or other ecclesiastical and historical places spread across the islands. They often also contain many important works of art.

So Malta and Gozo are full of shrines, statues or niches dedicated to the Mother of God and other saints. These can often be found in the corners of buildings. When Valletta was built, the Grand Master's edict required that every corner of a building be decorated with a sculpture or artistic embodiment. This could explain the exceptionally high number of niches and statues throughout Valletta, laid out in the form of a "grid" along the straight streets, surrounded by huge and spectacular bastions, impregnable walls famous for their magnificent architecture and steep height, and which were often erected straight in or attached to a cannon on the rock... The old town of Qormi (referred to as Citta' Pinto according to ancient documents and historical traditions) is literally covered with statues in niches and corners.

Religion remains a mainstay of the Maltese islands, not only for the local people but also for the more than one million tourists who visit Malta each year.

The season of festas is a never-ending spectacle of musical parades that parade through the streets, of orchestral concerts on special large stages (called plancieri) located in the city center in a large square, of large poles that line the Streets are lined with large colorful and richly decorated banners (arbli and bandalori), from stalls offering all kinds of sweets and local dishes (e.g. the famous nougat or qubbajt) and of course from the religious processions with the special saint patron, for whom the feast day is celebrated. This is carried by volunteers, often as a votive offering. The villages usually have two competing groups, and their enthusiasm knows no bounds. They prepare diligently for the festa of their special saint patron and try hard to take part in all the activities, but sometimes there are “conflicts” between them. They support their group very diligently and some of them play every instrument, a fact which has driven away some good musicians. The confetti from the balconies as the figure passes is another example of the joy of the people as her procession passes. The big noise and the colorful petards and the fireworks are set off in the night sky in addition to the abundance of sounds and the sense of celebration during a festa.

The cathedral within the citadel in Mdina, Malta - Mdina is the Maltese corruption of the word “Medina”, which is a name that dates back to Arab times. The street names in this famous “Silent City,” which is a World Heritage Site, are also typical of their Arabic expression. The church is a heritage pearl, left behind by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem who occupied Malta between 1530 and 1798.

The Cathedral of St. John in Valletta, Malta - The cathedral is beautiful and guided tours of this World Heritage church and its museum are offered year round. Most famous in the cathedral are the size and lifelike paintings of Caravaggio's “The Beheading of St. John,” which is a masterpiece. The art and history within these walls is unique.

The Church of St. Lawrence in Vittoriosa, Malta - Vittoriosa was the first town occupied by the Knights upon their arrival in Malta. They were forced to leave their previous headquarters on Rhodes under secure leadership when they were overwhelmed in battle by Mohammed's army. The knights were officially very religious and they usually wore a large white cross on a red uniform.
They adopted the white eight-pointed cross, yet their first symbol was way back, like the time of the Crusades in the 12th century AD. Every church they built anywhere bears different designs and patterns depicting this eight-pointed cross show what became known as the Maltese Cross.

The Cathedral within the Citadel in Victoria, Gozo - A visit to Gozo should begin in Victoria, the island's capital. Victoria was named after England's Queen Victoria, in honor of her jubilee in 1897. Even today, many locals can still call the city by its original name - Rabat (which means city). The Citadel or Cittadella is an impregnable strategic point that dates back to the late Middle Ages and was refortified by the Knights of the Order of St. John to serve as protection for the inhabitants. Within its walls lies the cathedral, built between 1697 and 1711 and designed by Lorenzo Gafa. Within the citadel there is also the Cathedral Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Folklore Museum and a craft center housed in the old prison building.

The Church of Ta' Pinu in Gharb, Gozo - The church dates back to 1920 and was built around a small chapel dating back to the 16th century and dedicated to the Mother of God. This is one of the most visited spots on the island of Gozo, especially by the dedicated residents of Malta and Gozo.

The Basilica of St. George in Victoria, Gozo - The basilica is dedicated to St. George, it has been the symbol of the parish for many hundreds of years and it embodied the Christian population of Rabat, officially known as Victoria. The stone foundation of the basilica was built in 1672 and it is attributed as the marble basilica because it is completely covered with marble.

Village Festas in summer - A village festa will take place at least once a week in various locations during the summer months, with spectacular fireworks displays at the festas in Zebbug, St. Julians and Lija.