George Francis Vella, secretary of The Historical Cultural Committee of St George's Basilica (April 16), failed to provide a shred of proof regarding the patronage of St George.
Contrary to what he states, the cult of St George could not have been introduced in Gozo by the Byzantines c. AD 533 and this for the simple reason that there was no cult of St George among the Byzantines at that time. The name of St George of Lydda is first documented around 530 and it was centuries before his cult was diffused in the Byzantine world.
The cult of St George was probably introduced locally by the Aragonese after 1282; there is no proof that it existed in Malta before their rule.
The cult of St Ursula was introduced in Gozo by Eugenio Ramirez Maldonado, Governor of Gozo between 1610 and 1612. The reports drawn by bishops during pastoral visits after that year amply prove the diffusion of the cult in Gozo and the great devotion to the saint; something that, alas, cannot be said about St George.
The designation of Saint Ursula as patron saint of Gozo by the Diocesan Synod of 1620 was carried out according to established ecclesiastical law, eventually codified in Canon 1278 of the old Canon Codex. The Synodal decrees, including the declaration of St Ursula as patron saint, were eventually endorsed by the Pope.
Mr Vella's presumption of a conspiracy by the local ecclesiastical authorities against St George of Gozo at the Synod of 1620 needs no comment.
In writing "whatever one may or may not believe about her (St Ursula)", Mr Vella wants to sow doubt about the saint's existence. It is thus very probable, that by his same yardstick, he also has doubts about "whatever one may or may not believe about St George".
For he should know that archaeological and hagiographical evidence related to the burial place of St Ursula in Cologne outweigh by far those related to the burial place of St George at Lydda (Lod/Ludd).
Incidentally, may I ask whether Mr Vella's Historical and Cultural Committee is the same one persistently using the false titles of Proto-Paro``a and Ar`i-Matri`i for St George's Basilica and fervently disseminating through the media recycled pseudo-historical material without any shame or remorse?
If that is so, both he and the committee he represents are obviously free to continue wallowing in a plethora of platitudes, conceit and wishful thinking.