Holy Week displays are a true labour of love. Dedicated individuals spend long hours of their free time planning, carrying out, setting up and maintaining these exhibitions... for no monetary compensation but all for the enjoyment of visitors.
“This work requires total commitment,” claims Clayton Joseph Mifsud, secretary of the Għaqda San Ġużepp Ħaddiem of Birkirkara.
“Even though the exhibition is on for less than 15 days, the preparations last 365 days! As soon as we open a display, we start listing the things we should be doing the following year.”
This year’s display, titled Ecce Omo, is marking the 15th anniversary of the founding of the society. The parish hall is large enough to accommodate the work of 30 exhibitors, including six full miniature sets of the Stations of the Cross and a Last Supper display.
Young exhibitors are especially enthusiastic about their participation. Roderick Taliana is showing his collection of Good Friday statuettes by Salvu Bonanno of Senglea, while Kevin Pace is proud to present his set, which he started after inheriting two statuettes from his grandfather. Each year, the exhibitors try to add something different, to make it grander and more unique.
For his Last Supper display, Pawlu Micallef carried out a lot of research to be as historically correct as possible.
The long table features the food eaten for Passover in Christ’s era, including roast lamb, pomegranates, bitter herbs, a matzah (unleavened bread), charoset or haroset, a sweet-dark coloured paste made of fruits and nuts, and wine.
Various coloured semolina and rice plates and frames depicting scenes and symbols related to the Passion of Christ adorn the middle of the hall.
“These need meticulous detail and precision, and must be handled with care. Even breathing or rushing past them can blow them away,” explains Clayton’s father, Vincent, who was one of the helpers working on these works of art.
Standing out among these is an impressive 8x4 feet replica of the painting Lamentation over the Dead Christ by Anthony van Dyck.
A detail from a coloured-semolina copy of Anthony van Dyck’s Lamentation over the Dead Christ.“I started working on this one about a month ago, spending about three to four hours a day to finish it on time,” said artist Alfred Casha, who is taking part in the display for the third year.
Holy Week imagery was also created using cross-stitch, sequins, fretwork (xogħol bl-arkett) and punch needle embroidery.
Over the years, the helpers have collected a number of antique artefacts from parishioners, including paintings and a circa 250-year-old Venetian statue representing Jesus laid in the tomb (Monument). This statue is placed right at the centre of the exhibition space.
The helpers also recreated the tomb of Jesus, using papier-mâché, polystyrene and plaster of Paris in one corner of the hall.
Another highlight is a crib-like representation of Holy Week, starting with Palm Sunday up until the Crucifixion, featuring over 250 figurines by Joe Valletta.
Once Good Friday is over, the display has to be dismantled. Some exhibitors take their possessions back home, but others’ just goes to waste... and with them all the long hours of work.
“It’s a real pity that we have to throw these semolina works away,” laments Clayton.
“I usually leave it up to the others... I could never do it myself.”
• The exhibition is open at the San Ġużepp Ħaddiem parish hall in Bwieraq Street, Birkirkara, until Good Friday. It is open daily from 9am to noon and from 4pm to 9pm. On Maundy Thursday, it is open from 9am to noon and from 4pm to midnight and on Good Friday, it is open from 9am till 1pm and from 4pm to 6pm.