I refer to the recent report (June 5) on the unearthing of archaeological human remains found beneath the flagstones at Vittoriosa adjacent to St Joseph Oratory, just in front of the Vittoriosa parish museum where the Great Siege relics of Grand Master Jean de Valette are preserved.

The report, based on the press release issued by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, describes how this area formed part of a medieval cemetery, already in use in the 16th century, attached to the old church of St Lawrence, patron saint of the souls in Purgatory.

However, the report does not mention one important historical fact: that this cemetery served as burial place for those who fell during the Great Siege of 1565.

This is recalled in a marble tablet affixed to the nearby Oratory of the Holy Crucifix. Those given a burial in this cemetery were Maltese defenders because Knights who were killed were buried either in the crypt of St Lawrence church or at Fort St Angelo.

Every year, on the commemoration of the Great Siege victory, there is still the long tradition at Vittoriosa for the archpriest to proceed in procession from St Lawrence church to bless the area with holy water.

At the entrance to the cemetery facing Vittoriosa Square there stood a statue of St Lawrence. This statue survived even after the cemetery disappeared during the 19th century. It was moved to St Lawrence Cemetery in the Cottonera fortifications when the present statue of St Lawrence in Vittoriosa Square, designed by British architect S. Poulson, had been inaugurated in 1880.

So the skeleton just discovered could very well be that of one of the Great Siege heroes. It is a curious coincidence that it made its appearance as Vittoriosa celebrates the 450th anniversary of the Great Siege.