Freddie Tonna, Stephen Tonna, Charles Zammit Moore (Eds): Il-Knisja Ta’ San Publju Fil-Furjana – Storja U Arti. Il-Floriana, 2015. 400 pp.

All Maltese have traditionally looked at their parish church not only as a central place of religious cult, but also as a depository of their own cultural heritage, patiently built over a large span of time.

Much has been written in both Maltese and English about the artistic patrimony found in local churches, but very little is available regarding the parish church of St Publius in Floriana, universally acknowledged in all respects as one of the most remarkable churches in Malta.

This lacuna is no more thanks to a superb initiative taken up by the administration of Il-Furjana, the local quarterly publication which is now in its 62nd year of existence.

It was born of an idea from a very small nucleus – Freddie Tonna, Stephen Tonna and Charles Zammit Moore – which has now blossomed into a fully fledged volume by the name of Il-Knisja Ta’ San Publju Fil-Furjana – Storja U Arti.

The procession with the statue of St Publius. Photos: Daniel Cilia

It is a magnificent 400-page compendium which delves deep into all aspects of this impressive temple.

When I say all aspects, I’m not employing a cliché. The book can be either called an encyclopedia on the church of Floriana or a veritable inventory of it.

It covers all imaginable types of art to be found in the church while paramount importance is given to the visual aspect of this anthology.

The array of well-known writers who gave their contribution also attest to its credibility. The publishers went for top-of-the-range contributors, most of them being experts in the subjects tackled by this compendium.

This formidable line-up of contributors is spearheaded by two Floriana-born intellectuals, Oliver Friggieri and Henry Frendo.

While the former, among other contributions, gives his overview in the book’s introduction, historian Henry Frendo outlines the general history of Floriana with particular emphasis to St Publius church.

The book travels fast from one treasure of this church to another. Campanologist Kenneth Cauchi writes on the history and the evolution of the bells of Floriana parish church while Stephen Zammit gives all the background and intricacies of the church tower clock.

Judge Emeritus Giovanni Bonello reveals, for the first time, the church plans of 1856 while sculptor and master mason Emanuel Cini (interviewed by George Maggi) gives a professional evaluation and opinion on the edifice itself and on the architectural styles it embodies.

It will go a long way towards guaranteeing that such treasures are appreciated by future generations

Therese Vella focuses in great detail on the pictorial treasures found in St Publius church, while Fr Carmel Attard’s contribution concentrates on the vault and dome paintings, the former by Chevalier Emvin Cremona and the latter by Chevalier Paul Camilleri Cauchi.

Fr Martin Borg’s contribution deals with the embroidered artefacts and Josette Darmenia de-scribes the beautiful pieces of lace found in this church.

The embroidered antependia (ventartali) and their designers, are analysed by Mark Sagona, while Alaine Apap Bologna gives the history and relative details about the Baroque and silver ecclesiastical items.

Horatio Caesar Roger Vella gives a virtual guided-tour of all the commemorative plaques – mostly in Latin, but translated in Maltese by himself – found both inside and on the outside of the church.

These highlight an impressive number of historical events which took place either inside the church or, in front of it, on St Publius Square (the Floriana Granaries).

Other articles relate to how the church is bedecked for the feast, the entry into Valletta of the statue of St Publius on June 29, 2009 and Pope Bendict’s visit to the church when he came to Malta in April 2010.

Various articles in this book were translated into English either by the authors themselves or by Fr Joseph Abela and others. The book has a very fitting conclusion with Friggieri’s historical contribution on artist Vincenzo Dimech (who sculptured in wood St Publius’s remarkable statue) and Vincenzo Bugeja, the former maestro di cappella of Floriana and his renowned antiphon in honour of St Publius by the name of O Melitae Digna Proles (Oh deserving Son of Malta).

Pope Benedict’s visit to St Publius church.

What could be described as the book’s most outstanding feature is its photography. Another feat from the publishers, in fact, is the great team of photographers used to portray the majesty of the treasures found in this church.

The book contains over 450 pictures taken by Daniel Cilia, Patrick J. Fenech, Gino Galea, Patrick Genovese, Martin Micallef, Mario Mifsud, Mario Mintoff, Marco Scerri and John Wrigley, with other photography-related work by Jason Buhagiar.

The fact that this volume is so profusely illustrated, apart from further enhancing its nature, manifests to what extent the compilers have managed to produce an authentic literary and pictorial souvenir of the parish church of St Publius.

The pictorial component is unique in itself and gives ample importance to details. Photography is here put to the service of the written content, but it immediately shows that such treasures have to be closely seen and scrutinised if they are to be fully evaluated. This volume provides such an opportunity.

Another impressive aspect of this book is its layout. It is the work of another Floriana-born artist, Joseph Scerri, a very talented and experienced graphic designer both in Malta and overseas.

In his message, Floriana archpriest Richard Borg very aptly uses John Keats’s famous quotation: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” Although known to many already, the time had come for all the beauty contained in St Publius church be consolidated and catalogued in an epical publication.

As Friggieri states in his introduction to the book, the Tonnas and Zammit Moore deserve to be congratulated for accomplishing so well such a worthy task, which has evidently been quite challenging.

This volume is a tribute to their life-long dedication to the maintenance of our collective cultural heritage. It also pays homage to our forefathers who have seen their magnificent dreams come true.

It will also go a long way to-wards guaranteeing that such treasures are appreciated by future generations.