A small piece of Malta’s religious and wartime heritage is on display in Vittoriosa in the form of a simple, black, long-sleeved dress.

Known as “il-libsa tal-wegħda”, the dress was commissioned during the beginning of World War II as part of a votive promise – a pact in return for a religious favour.

The dress was donated by Marquita Degabriele to Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna for display at the Malta at War Museum, Couvre Porte, Vittoriosa.

Made of simple light wool, the dress belonged to Mrs Degabriele’s mother, Carmelina Zammit, and was sewn by a seamstress.

Mrs Zammit, wife of Qormi poet and lawyer Ġorġ Zammit, made a vow to wear the dress every Friday for 15 years if her family survived the war.

Vows like these were common in those days and form part of a long Catholic tradition where a believer enters into a personal pact with God or a saint in return for a favour.

Mrs Zammit’s family – her husband and two young daughters, Céline and Mariquita – survived the war after abandoning their Sliema home to seek refuge in the small rural hamlet of Selmun in the north of the island.

Mrs Zammit died five years ago at the age of 101.

The dress is on display in the gallery dedicated to the social life of the Maltese in wartime Malta.

The museum is open between Tuesday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information visit www.wirtartna.org or www.maltaatwarmuseum.com.