Bishop Baldassare Cagliares was born in Valletta in 1575. The exact day and month are not known.Bishop Baldassare Cagliares was born in Valletta in 1575. The exact day and month are not known.

As spectacular fireworks displays celebrated the arrival of the new year, Żabbar residents were preparing to usher in 2016 with a special event this week marking 400 years since the town was elevated to the status of parish.

A true festa of colour and sound with religious ceremonies, parades, band marches and church bells await the locality with a number of special activities being held today and tomorrow.

“According to existing records, 45-year-old Fr Angelo Pontremoli took official possession of the duties as the parish priest of Our Lady of Graces in Żabbar on January 10, 1616,” explains Fr Manuel Schembri, vice parish priest of Żabbar.

On that day, the village became an independent parish, and the Żejtun parish got the title of the matrix of Żabbar.

In November of the year 1615, Baldassare Cagliares, then bishop of the Maltese islands, went on a pastoral visit to the parish of St Catherine of Alexandria in Żejtun. That parish then consisted of several smaller villages and hamlets, among which was Żabbar.

“During the bishop’s stay, village representative Antonio Schembri, on behalf of approximately 600 people, requested the area of Żabbar to be recognised as a parish in its own right,” continues Fr Schembri.

In Christmas of the same year, Bishop Cagliares informed Fr Matteo Burlò, parish priest of Żejtun, of his intention to grant the request by Żabbar residents. Thus, on January 10, 1616, Cagliares promulgated a decree that conferred the status of parish to Żabbar, incorporating territory formally pertaining to Żejtun.

Anniversary celebrations kick off at 6.15pm today with Mass being celebrated by Dun Nikol Pace, the archpriest of Żejtun.

Afterwards, the archpriests of both localities, Żabbar and Żejtun, will be unveiling a retrospective exhibition that tells the story of the parish over the years.

The installation of the cross on the Żabbar sanctuary cupola in 1928.The installation of the cross on the Żabbar sanctuary cupola in 1928.

Mgr Joseph Mifsud Bonnici, rector of Missjoni ż-Żgħira (a missionary preaching to youths established in 1884), will be saying another Mass accompanied by other priests from the parish at 9pm.

Celebrations reach their peak tomorrow.

The two local band clubs – the Maria Mater Gratiae Philharmonic Society and St Michael Band – will play in the streets and squares of Żabbar in a mass band between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

Żabbar and Xgħajra scouts will be greeting Archbishop Charles Scicluna at 4.45pm near the Chapel of the Annunciation in a parade up to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Graces, before Mass at 5.30pm together with Archpriest Fr Evan Caruana and other priests from the parish.

Archbishop Scicluna will afterwards inaugurate a commemorative plaque to mark the 400-year anniversary and visit the exhibition inside the sanctuary with the name Erba’ Mija, which contains a number of artefacts and documents from the parish’s history.

Commemorative stamps

To commemorate this anniversary for both communities, the Żejtun Philatelic Group, a group within the Żejtun local council, in collaboration with the Żabbar parish church, is issuing philatelic material.

As of today, they are providing two personalised stamps, two postal cards and a commemorative envelope in limited edition. They may be purchased from the Żejtun local council or the Żabbar Sanctuary Museum at the price of €3.50 for the whole set.

The card and stamp of Żejtun depicts the old parish church of St Catherine (known as St Gregory’s). The church served as the parish of Żejtun in those times and shows the coats of arms of Bishop Cagliares and Don Matteo Burlò, the parish priest of Żejtun. It is a painting by late Żejtun artist Giuseppe Tabone.

The card and stamp of Żabbar depicts the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Graces, and shows the coats of arms of Bishop Cagliares and the first parish priest of Żabbar, Don Angelo Pontremoli. It is a painting by Edwin Galea.

Both stamps and postcards are designed by Glen Chircop.

• The author thanks Żabbar archpriest Fr Evan Caruana, Reuben Pullicino, secretary of the centenary celebrations committee, and Sean Chircop, chairman of the Żejtun Philatelic Group.

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