Church treasures in Gozo

If there ever was any doubt about promoting these islands for their religious heritage, the ninth book in the series Tezori Fil-Knejjes Maltin ought to put this case to rest.

"Churches in Gozo are not only artistic treasures but depositories of love." This is how Tony Terribile, author of the series Tezori fil-Knejjes Maltin, described the love Gozitans have for their temples of worship.

Mr Terribile, who is an expert on the history of churches in Malta and Gozo, said most of the churches were built at a time when the majority of the people were poor.

"But they preferred to make sacrifices, like, for example, doing away with furniture and, instead, use ramshackle stools and donate whatever they could scrape for the embellishment of their church," Mr Terrible said.

Looking at this latest volume, which features the churches in Victoria and the one in Fontana, one cannot but be dazzled by the long list of prestigious painters and sculptors whose works embellish these houses of prayer.

The list includes Giuseppe CalG, Robert Caruana Dingli, Lazzru Pisani, Mattia Preti, Francesco Zahra, Giovanni Battista Conti, Pawlu Camilleri Cauchi, Wistin Camilleri, Guzè Galea, Carlo Pisi, Karlu Mallia, Alfred Camilleri Cauchi and Samuel Bugeja.

Mr Terribile underscored for their fine workmanship, the titular painting and the statue of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary at the Cathedral and the statue of St George and the fairly recent bronze door at the Basilica of St George Martyr. The basilica, work on which started on August 7, 1672, was built as a profuse measure of thanks to St George for his intercession in sparing the island from the plague.

Another, albeit smaller church was also built as a testimony of gratitude by Felic Attard and his wife Roza in 1866 for having, as a couple, survived the cholera outbreak of 1865, which had left many Gozitan victims in its dreadful wake.

Dedicated to St Marta, the church is known as Ta' l-Ghonq. Close to the church is a cemetery where the cholera victims were interred.

Both the church and the cemetery became shrines linked to the souls in Purgatory.

A legend tied to this place is that the sacristan woke up one morning to open the church, seeing that it was five o'clock. Getting there, he found the door was already open and a priest, he had never set eyes on, was preparing to say Mass.

The priest disappeared as soon as Mass was over. When the sacristan returned home, it is said, he found it was still two o'clock in the morning.

There are other gems, apart from the ones connected with legends, interspersed in this book. The series has another nine volumes to go, several of which will feature more churches on Gozo.

The publication is by PIN, Publikazzjonijiet Indipendenza of Pietà.

pin@media.link.com.mt, www.media.link.com.mt