As I was reading Fr Mark Montebello’s interesting article ‘Il-Poeżiji reliġjużi ta’ Manwel Dimech’ (Manwel Dimech’s religious poems) in Knisja elfejn, issue number 108, I came across Dimech’s Marian poem in which he refers to Mary as “mit-Tlitija mkella ġiet”.

A quick look into Erin Serracino Inglott’s dictionary reveals that the work mkella is derived from the word kellel meaning ‘to surround one’s head with’ or ‘to crown’. This brings the reader to the conclusion that the poet is referring to the Trinity crowning the Virgin Mary.

This is the first time I have come across a reference to the Holy Trinity with the Maltese term Tlitija obviously derived from the Maltese word for three, tlieta. Neither Ġużè Aquilina nor Serracino Inglott include the word in their dictionaries. An interesting term indeed!

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