SAYING GOODBYE TO MALTA FROM PLAYMOBIL FUN PARK

Tina & Claire in Parish Church of St. Mary, B'Kara

Birkirkara, abbreviated B'Kara, is a town in the central region of Malta. It is the most populous on the island. The city consists of four autonomous parishes: Saint Helen, Saint Joseph, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Mary. The city's motto is In hoc signo vinces, and its coat of arms is a plain red cross, surmounted by a crown.

Birkirkara means cold water or running water. This is attributed to the valley in the town. Originally, the name was written as Birchircara, as influenced by the Italian alphabet which excludes the use of the letter 'K'. It is often abbreviated as B'kara/Kara.

Birkirkara is situated in a valley, which is from where its name is derived. It is known for flooding on heavy stormy days. Several projects have been proposed. The area has also received embellishment works from time to time.

More information: Birkirkara Local Council

There are many places of interest in Birkirkara, amongst them the Old Railway Station which is today located within a public garden. Trains were used as means of transportation across the island until the Railway's closure happened in 1931. Other town features include the Wignacourt Aqueduct built in the 17th Century, and St Helen's Basilica, housing Malta's largest church bell.

Joseph visits the Wignacourt Aqueduct, B'Kara

Birkirkara is one of Malta's oldest towns and received mention in the 1436 Ecclesiastical Report mentioning the then existing parishes in Malta and Gozo, from which Birkirkara emerged as the largest parish.

Various parishes and suburbs developed out of Birkirkara over the years, including Sliema, St. Julian's, Msida, Ħamrun in the 19th century and Santa Venera in the early 20th century. In more recent years, San Ġwann (1965) and the hamlet of Ta' l-Ibraġ hived off Birkirkara to form part of the new parish and locality of Swieqi in 1993.

More information: Saint Peter's List

Birkirkara's main religious feast is that of St Helen which is celebrated on 18 August if it falls on a Sunday, or on the first Sunday after that date. The main event of the celebration is a procession with a large wooden statue carved by the Maltese master-sculptor Salvu Psaila. Notably, this is the only procession, with a titular statue, on the island carried out in the morning. The statue is lifted to shoulder-height by a group of townsmen and is carried through the main streets of the town.

Some prominent buildings in the area are the Tal-Wejter Tower, the Wignacourt Aqueduct, Villa Lauri, Villa Chelsea, Saint Helen Palace, Band Clubs, Political Clubs, the Birkirkara Civic Centre, amongst others.

Visiting Playmobil Fun Park in Ħal Far

Near Birkirkara, in Ħal Far, The Grandma and her friends have visited the Playmobil Fun Park. They have decided to asy goodbye to Malta, Gozo and Comino visiting this place where they have millions of friends.

Goodbye Malta! Thanks for your hospitality! You conserve the spirit of the Hospitaller Knights of Saint John and you're one of the most beautiful places to visit and live around the world. Thanks for keeping your prehistorical ruins and give sense to our past; to be proud of your Mediterranean lifestyle and to offer us one of the most amazing languages: Maltese. 

More information: Playmobil Fun Park

The Grandma hasn't found Corto Maltese but she has found lots of friends; has discovered amazing places and has lived unforgettable moments and, at the end, this is the most important legacy that you can obtain.

Nara dalwaqt, Malta!

Download Malta, Gozo & Comino

It was difficult for me because I was searching for the answer for so long, and the answer was right in front of me. Do what I do best. 

Tommy Hilfiger

THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN MALTA: GHAJN TUFFIEHA BATHS

Visiting the Roman baths in Għajn Tuffieħa

The Grandma is going to leave Malta in two days. Although she has searched Corto Maltese around the country, she hasn't had succeess. She's not sad because she is not going to give up and this searching is a great motive to keep alive and illusionated.

Today, The Grandma and her friends are visiting the Roman baths in Għajn Tuffieħa in Mellieha. They want to close a circle. They met in Sant Boi de Llobregat, a city near Barcelona, very famous for its Roman thermae and they are going to finish their cultural Maltese travel visiting the Roman baths in Għajn Tuffieħa. It's difficult to sum up ll this travel in only one minute but we're trying to do it.

More information: Heritage Malta

The Għajn Tuffieħa Roman Baths were discovered in 1929 during government works to cap a fresh water spring in the area. This spring, or a similar one, might explain why the baths, which needed a constant flow of large amounts of water, were built in Għajn Tuffieħa.

More information: Wikiwand

The site, one of the many excavated under the supervision of Sir Themistocles Zammit, comprises a number of rooms. These represent the full repertoire seen in other Roman baths, including the Tepidarium, Frigidarium and Caldarium.

Joseph de Ca'th Lon contemplates the Roman baths

There is also a latrine and a corridor connecting small rooms which are usually interpreted to be changing or bedrooms. It is possible that these rooms acted as a dormitory for people visiting the baths as they cannot be connected with any residential remains of the same period.

All the rooms are decorated with intricate mosaics of coloured marbles and stones arranged in geometric designs. The corridors and latrine are, on the other hand, paved with ceramic lozenge-shaped tiles of a length of just fewer than ten centimeters.

More information: Din l-Art Ħelwa

In 1961, the site’s mosaics underwent restoration sponsored by UNESCO and rooms were built to shelter and protect the remains. The site has also benefited in recent years from the UNESCO funded Malta Mosaics Project, which mapped mosaics and pavements at Għajn Tuffieha and the Domvs Romana. The analysis of this mapping has resulted in a detailed conservation plan which will be implemented in the coming years.

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development has granted funds for the study and conservation of the site as part of the 2007 Rural Development Programme for Malta. These funds will help to create visitor facilities and open the site to the public.

More information: Independent

The Roman Empire was very, very much like us. They lost their moral core, their sense of values in terms of who they were. 

And after all of those things converged together, 

they just went right down the tubes very quickly. 

Ben Carson

IX-XEMXIJA HERITAGE TRAIL: FOLLOWING THE ROMANS

Claire Fontaine walks across the Pilgrims' Way

What have in common Joseph de Ca'th Lon, Tina Picotes, Claire Fontaine and The Grandma? 

All of them speak Romanic languages. Joseph de Ca'th Lon speaks Italian, French and his native language, Romansh; Claire Fontaine speaks French; Tina Picotes speaks French and her native language is Monegasque and The Grandma speaks French, Spanish and her native language, Catalan. All of them have a common past, the Roman culture and the Latin language and because of this, they have wanted to walk across the Pilgrim's Way and the Roman road in Ix-Xemxija, St. Paul's Bay.

Xemxija, in Maltese Ix-Xemxija, is a suburb on the western part of St. Paul's Bay in the Northern Region. It is a quiet resort, all surrounded by some of the most fertile valleys and Maltese countryside.

More information: How to Malta

There is also a picturesque small fishing harbour. The resort is the gateway to the sandy and popular beaches of Golden Bay and to Mellieħa Bay. There are a number of hotels and restaurants in Ix-Xemxija. The area around Ix-Xemxija has been inhabited since prehistoric times. It contains a number of archaeological sites, which now form a heritage trail. These include a number of rock-hewn tombs, remains of two megalithic temples, a Bronze Age grain silo, trogloditic dwellings, cart ruts, a Roman road, and Roman apiaries.

In around 1715, the Order of St. John built Arrias Battery as part of a series of fortifications defending Malta's coastline. It was also called Ix-Xemxija Battery since it was on the sunny side of the bay, Ix-Xemxija means sunny in Maltese, and the area around it became known as Ix-Xemxija.

Joseph de Ca'th Lon crosses The Pilgrims' Way

In 1839, the British built an aqueduct allowing the transportation of water. The water travelled from an underground aqueduct in an area in Wardija, known as tal-Ballut, that extends to an above ground aqueduct and then to a reservoir both in Xemxija. The conservation of water was needed for the British military and their horses, who surveilled the area from the nearby defence posts. An underground emergency flour mill was built in Ix-Xemxija during the Cold War. It has been restored to working condition by the Fondazzjoni Wirt Industrijali Malti, the Maltese Industrial Heritage Foundation, and is now open to the public.

Since the 1980s, several apartment blocks were built in Xemxija making it a popular residential area. It is also a small resort, mainly catering with bars and restaurants. The Simar Nature Reserve forms part of the suburb.

More information: Malta Tina

On the eastern edge of Bajda Ridge, overlooking Ix-Xemxija, are concentrated a wide variety of archaeological sites ranging from the Neolithic age more than 5500 years ago, through Punic and Roman times. 

The Grandma enters in the ancient cave

The area is well cared for and organised into an interesting heritage trail starting uphill along a road dating back to the Roman era that cuts across the ridge past ancient cave dwellings, tombs and apiaries, heading towards Mellieħa. In the Miżieb woodland to the west of the road are ruins of what may have been a megalthic temple.

To the east one can head towards punic tombs and more cave dwellings. Yet further east one comes across a prehistoric grain silo and a cluster of six rock-cut neolithic tombs dating from the early temple period, 5500 years ago. In the northeast, overlooking Mistra Valley and Mistra Gate, beneath the cart ruts, one can find the Roman baths in an evocative setting on the cliff face.

More information: Exploring Malta

Bajda Ridge is bound to the south by Pwales Valley and to the north by Miżieb and Mistra Valleys. From the top of this ridge one can enjoy views of Xemxija Bay and St. Paul's Bay in the distance, Is-Simar Nature Reserve in Pwales Valley and Mellieħa Ridge and Selmun Palace to the north. 

Download St Paul's Bay and Xemxija Walk by Malta Tourism Authority

 

We're all pilgrims on the same journey

but some pilgrims have better road maps. 

Nelson DeMille

TA' HAGRAT & TA'SKORBA TEMPLES: A TRIP BACK IN TIME

Ready to visit The Ta' Ħaġrat temples in L-Imġarr

In a few days, The Grandma is going to return to Barcelona to start new projects. Her searching of Corto Maltese is arriving to the end.

Joseph de Ca'th Lon doesn't want to leave the island without visiting the Ta' Ħaġrat temples in L-Imġarr. They want to finish their visit as they started: visiting Prehistorical sites. The Ta' Ħaġrat temples in L-Imġarr, Malta is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with several other Megalithic temples. They are amongst the most ancient religious sites on Earth. The larger Ta' Ħaġrat temple dates from the Ġgantija phase (3600–3200 BCE); the smaller is dated to the Saflieni phase (3300–3000 BCE).

More information: Heritage Malta

Ta' Ħaġrat is on the eastern outskirts of the village of L-Imġarr, roughly one kilometer from the Ta' Skorba temples. Characteristics of the Ta' Ħaġrat façade resemble those in the Ta' Skorba complex.

The excavation of plentiful pottery deposits show that a village stood on the site and predates the temples themselves. This early pottery is dated to the L-Imġarr phase (3800-3600 BCE).

Joseph in the Ta' Ħaġrat temples, L-Imġarr

Ta' Ħaġrat is built out of lower coralline limestone, the oldest exposed rock in the Maltese Islands. The complex contains two adjacent temples. The smaller temple abuts the major one on the northern side.

The two parts are less regularly planned and smaller in size than many of the other neolithic temples in Malta. Unlike other megalithic temples in Malta no decorated blocks were discovered; however a number of artifacts were found. Perhaps most intriguing is a scale model of a temple, sculpted in globigerina limestone. A sculptured temple discovered at Ta' Ħaġrat.

The model is roofed and shows the typical structure of a Maltese temple including a trilithon façade, narrow-broad walling technique and upper layers of horizontal corbelling.

More information: Malta Uncovered

The Ġgantija phase temple is typically trefoil, with a concave façade opening onto a spacious semicircular forecourt. The façade contains a monumental doorway in the center and a bench at its base. Two steps lead up to the main entrance and a corridor flanked by upright megaliths of coralline limestone. 

Joseph in the Ta' Ħaġrat temples, L-Imġarr

The corridor leads into a central torba, a cement-like material, court, radiating three semi-circular chambers.

These were partially walled off at some time in the Saflieni phase; pottery shards were recovered from the internal packing of this wall. The apses are constructed with roughly-hewn stone walls and have a rock floor. Corbelling visible on the walls of the apses suggest that the temple was roofed. A small sculptured temple was discovered here.

More information: Malta Tina

The site was excavated between 1923 and 1926 by Sir Temi Zammit, then Director of Museums. The site was again excavated by John Davies Evans in 1954, and British archaeologist David Trump accurately dated the complex in the 1961 excavation. The temple was included on the Antiquities List of 1925. Parts of the façade and doorway were reconstructed in 1937.

The Grandma & Claire arrive to the Skorba Temples

The Skorba temples are Megalithic remains on the northern edge of Żebbiegħ, which have provided detailed and informative insight into the earliest periods of Malta's neolithic culture. 

The site was only excavated in the early 1960s, rather late in comparison to other megalithic sites, some of which had been studied since the early 19th century. The site's importance has led to its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a listing it shares with six other megalithic temples in Malta.

More information: Heritage Malta

This later excavation allowed the use of modern methods of dating and analysis. The temple itself isn't in good condition, especially in comparison to the more complete temples of Ħaġar Qim and Tarxien. The importance of this site doesn't lie in the actual remains but rather in what was garnered from their excavation.

Claire Fontaine in the Skorba Temples, Żebbiegħ

The Żebbiegħ area around Skorba appears to have been inhabited very early in the Neolithic period.

When the eminent Maltese historian Sir Temi Żammit excavated the nearby temples of Ta' Ħaġrat, only a single upright slab protruded from a small mound of debris on the Skorba site.

Although it was included on the Antiquities List of 1925, archeologists ignored this mound until David Trump excavated it between 1960 and 1963.

More information: Malta Uncovered

The remains on the site are a series of megalithic uprights, one of them 3.4m high, the lowest course of the temples' foundations, paving slabs with libation holes in the entrance passage, and the torba, a cement-like material, floor of a three-apse temple. This three-apse shape is typical of the Ġgantija phase. 

Unfortunately, the greater part of the first two apses and the whole of the façade have been razed to ground level.

Tina Picotes in the Skorba Temples, Żebbiegħ

The north wall is in a better state of preservation. Originally, the entrance of the temple opened on a court, but in later additions during the Tarxien phase, the temple's doorway was closed off, with altars set in the corners formed by the closure. 

East of this temple, a second monument was added in the Tarxien phase, with four apses and a central niche. For a period of roughly twelve centuries before the temples were built, a village already stood on the site. Its oldest extant structure is the eleven metre long straight wall to the west of the temples’ first entrance. 

Deposits at its base contained material from the first known human occupation of the island, the Għar Dalam phase, including charcoal, which carbon analysis dated to 4850 BC.

The pottery found on the site is divided into two styles, the Grey Skorba phase distinguished by grey-colored pottery with no motifs, and the Red Skorba phase, which is exactly like the grey Skorba but colored using red ocher. 

More information: UNESCO

Whenever I think of the past, 

it brings back so many memories. 

Steven Wright

TAS-SLIEMA: OUR MALTESE LADY OF GOOD VOYAGE

Claire Fontaine in a coloured street, Tas-Sliema

Claire Fontaine loves design and she has wanted to visit Tas-Sliema with her friends. She wants to discover this amazing town full of coloured windows and doors in the most original Maltese style.

Sliema, in Maltese Tas-Sliema, is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta in the Northern Harbour District. It is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, dining, and café life. Lining the coastline is a promenade known as the Tas-Sliema Front, that has become the ideal spot for joggers and walkers as well as a prolific meeting place for locals during the summer season. Romantic moon strolls, barbeques and open air restaurants Tattoo and Piercing and cafes have made Sliema the hub of social nightlife. Tas-Sliema is also known for its numerous rocky beaches, water sports and hotels.

More information: My Guide Malta

Tas-Sliema, which means peace, comfort, was once a quiet fishing village on the peninsula across Marsamxett Harbour from Valletta and boasts beautiful views of the capital city. The population began to grow in 1853 and the town was declared a parish in 1878. Now Tas-Sliema and the coastline up to neighbouring St. Julian's constitutes Malta's main coastal resort.

Tas-Sliema is considered a desirable place to live and is relatively affluent, with extremely high property prices compared to the national average. Historically, stylish villas and traditional Maltese townhouses lined the streets of Tas-Sliema.

Joseph de Ca'th Lon in the coast of Tas-Sliema

Tas-Sliema has now been ringed with modern apartment blocks, some of which are amongst the tallest buildings in Malta. This has resulted in significant traffic, parking and construction-related noise pollution issues. 

Residents of Tas-Sliema are stereotypically known for their usage of English as a first language, although this is changing in the 21st century due to demographic shifts. Maltese people from Tas-Sliema are referred to as Slimiżi.

Tas-Sliema got its name from the Our Lady of Good Voyage Chapel, that now no longer exists. It periodically served as a reference point for the sailors and fishermen in Marsamxett Harbour. The name could thus be connected with the first words of the Hail Mary prayer, which in Maltese is Sliem Għalik Marija.

Tas-Sliema is the Maltese word meaning peace and was used to salut someone. The triconsonantal root of the word is Š-L-M. The construction age of the church is unknown but it was included in a map by the Order of St. John even before being handed the Maltese islands to them.

More information: Malta

At the Great Siege of 1565, il-Qortin, as it was then known, was a camp centre for Turkish troops led by Dragut. He met his fate there, having been killed by a bombardment from Fort St. Elmo at the other flank of Marsamxett Harbour, where Tas-Sliema stands.  

Fort Tigné was eventually built by the Knights of St. John in the late 18th century and further developed by the British in later years.

The Grandma contemplates Tas-Sliema, Malta

In 1855 a new church dedicated to Our Lady Star of the Sea or Stella Maris was opened to public worship. Around the new church, the small village grew into a town.  

By 1878, the population grew to such an extent that the religious authorities had the Stella Maris Church declared a parish in its own right and it was separated from St.Helen's parish of Birkirkara. The town began to develop rapidly in the second half of the 19th century becoming popular as a summer resort for wealthier Valletta residents. Their elegant villas and town houses lined the quiet, inland streets. 

Various Victorian buildings graced its three kilometre sea promenade which overlooked rugged rocks, farms and even a small sandy beach. In 1990 one of these farms which had been abandoned, was transformed into a coastline garden known as Ġnien Indipendenza, Independence Garden.

A few Victorian, as well as art nouveau houses, still remain in the inner streets, although only a handful remain along the shoreline, as there has been significant modern development of apartment blocks and hotels. A distinctive group of six traditional houses with Maltese balconies has survived remarkably intact at Belvedere Terrace, set back from Ix-Xatt. These houses overlook Manoel Island to the South across the Tas-Sliema Creek; the houses have heritage protection and the lower buildings between them and Ix-Xatt cannot be built upwards.

More information: Malta Uncovered

The British built a number of fortifications on the Tas-Sliema peninsula in the 19th century. These were Sliema Point Battery (1872–76), Cambridge Battery (1878–86) and Garden Battery (1889–94). In addition, the 18th century Fort Tigné remained in use as well, and barracks were built on the Tigné peninsula.

Visiting Stella Maris Church in Tas-Sliema, Malta

In 1881 the first sea water distillery on the island was erected in Tas-Sliema in order to provide water to the Tigné barracks. 

In 1882 the distillery was decommissioned and the building, which still stands today, has been occupied by a printing press since that time. The barracks it supplied water to were demolished in 2001 in order to make way for the development of Tigné Point development. The town has a considerable number of streets connected with the British era in Malta, such as Norfolk Street, Amery Street, Windsor Terrace, Graham Street, Milner Street and Fort Cambridge.

Tas-Sliema has been the site of intensive development in recent decades. The Victorian houses that lined Tower Road have all been replaced by apartment buildings built in modern architectural style. Several of these boast beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea or Valletta but their development has been controversial. 

More information: The Culture Trip

Development, high population density, parking issues, and high property prices have led many younger people originally from the area are choosing to live elsewhere on the island and consequently Tas-Sliema is suffering from an aging population.

There are several foreign expatriates who reside in Tas-Sliema. There remains net inward migration to Tas-Sliema. The prevalence of use amongst Tas-Sliema residents of English as a first language is decreasing although remains significantly higher than other localities on the island.

Tina Picotes enjoying Tas-Sliema at night

Code-switching in English sentences with peppered Maltese words and phrases is relatively common in Tas-Sliema, as well as St. Julian's, Pembroke, Swieqi, Madliena, San Ġwann and Kappara, although there are several individuals who speak exclusively in English or Maltese without mixing the two, see Maltenglish. There are a number of Maltese people who are fluent in English but struggle with the Maltese language, and this reflects use of English at home and at English-speaking schools. Despite some misconceptions and stereotypes, the vast majority of people from Sliema are fluent in Maltese and speak it as a first language.

Sliema has a number of Catholic churches such as the one dedicated to Jesus of Nazareth known as In-Nazzarenu, three dedicated to Our Lady: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Stella Maris, which is the oldest Catholic church and thus the mother church dating from 1855, and one dedicated to a saintly Pope St. Gregory the Great.

In addition to the above list of churches, is the Anglican Holy Trinity Church Built in 1866 in Rudolphe Street.

More information: Times of Malta

I only really and truly fully relax on my own. 

Give me a sun lounger, a pool and a sea view, and I'm happy. 

Miranda Hart

DISCOVERING THE ARABIAN FOOTPRINTS IN IN-NADUR

The Grandma visits In-Nadur in Gozo

The Grandma loves languages and she likes knowing the origin of words. Mediterranean culture is a mix of dozens of ancient cultures that have left their footprints in our present days. 

If you can discover the meaning and the origin of words, you can understand our common past and be sure that we have something in common: an amazing incredible sea, cradle of civilizations and mother of our current cultures.

Nadur, in Maltese In-Nadur, is a village in Gozo. The word Nadur which in Maltese means look out, is derived from the Arabic word nadara. The town's motto means much the same.

There are no documents or archaeological evidence which could shed light on the colonization of In-Nadur by its first inhabitants. Nevertheless, the plateau and its surroundings, with a few farmhouses scattered here and there, were in existence for many years well before the area became a parish. The only trace of archaeological evidence were a number of large flat stones found in a field between San Blas Bay and Daħlet Qorrot. 

More information: Nadur Local Council

According to the Gozitan historian Giovanni Pietro Francesco Agius de Soldanis these roofed structures, which are not in existence anymore, once used to serve as a sort of temple to the gods. He also imagined that these slabs of stone couldn't have been placed there by normal people but by very strong people or giants. He also wrote that In-Nadur may have been founded during the time of the Greeks. One proof of this connection is a bronze statue of Apollo said to be found in In-Nadur in 1744.

Joseph de Ca'th Lon at Isopu Tower

Throughout history In-Nadur played a very important role in the defense of the island from corsairs, hence the name.

During the reign of the Knights of St. John, a watch tower was built by Grandmaster Nicolas Cotoner which has been referred to by Dahlet Qorrot Tower or San Blas Tower for the two bays lying on either side of it. The tower is locally known as Isopu Tower. Another watchtower found in Isopu Tower is Ta' Kenuna Tower built by the British towards the middle of the 19th century. It served as a telegraph link between Malta and Gozo. 

From the top of this semaphore tower, one can see most of the island, Comino and the northern part of Malta with a wonderful view in winter of the green fields and the blue sea. The area near the tower was constructed into a beautiful garden in which one can find many local plants and trees.

One can also rest on benches while looking at the panoramic view of nearly the whole islands and the Malta and Gozo Channel.

More information: Visit Gozo

There are about 20 farmers in In-Nadur, the majority of whom work their fields on part-time basis. From the orchards of In-Nadur come most of the local fruits such as plums, peaches, apples, oranges and lemons. This produce maintained commercial contacts with Malta for over 3000 years. Today this commerce is still ongoing and a great amount of Maltese citrus is produced from In-Nadur.

Tina Picotes & Claire Fontaine at Ta' Kenuna Tower

Main square area centers basically around the parish church, with a host of shops, eateries, snack bars, and mostly residential housing. 

Important places of interest in the center are Sacred  Heart, Ta' Karkanja church and Franciscan Sisters convent.

Ta' Hida's main artery surrounds Ramla Bay's main road, which is particularly busy in the summertime. San Blas has both residential areas, relatively old and new, very fertile land and picturesque valleys, full of mainly citrus trees. San Blas takes the name after the little secluded red-sandy bay, called after bishop Blaise, whose veneration still exists in the Catholic Church up to today. A nearby beach is Daħlet Qorrot with many locals owning caves and garages where many keep their fishing boats. Nearby is San Blas, a tiny, sandy bay on the north-eastern coast. It is a favourite spot for swimming for local residents. Close to San Blas, one finds also a bushy arid area called il-Qortin as well as the Mistra Rocks coastline. 

More information: Malta

The Ta' Kenuna area was developed in the early 1980s. Previously, the area was barren, except for the Ta' Kenuna Tower, a telegraph structure built under the British era, Nadur cemetery and some vineyards. Although in the past the cemetery seemed to scare off people, and no one dared to live next to it, today the cemetery has become literally a traffic island, surrounded by busy roads and residential areas.

Visiting St. Peter and Paul church in In-Nadur

The religious feast of In-Nadur, Mnarja, is celebrated on June 29. It is derived from luminaria and in fact it is a festival rooted in Maltese seasonal rituals and customs.

The beloved titular statue, that of St. Peter and St. Paul, was made in Marseilles in 1882. It is one of the many masterpieces that grace the grand church. On Good Friday a beautifully made set of statues are taken out for the holy procession depicting the passion and crucifixion of Jesus. On the morning of Easter a statue of The Risen Lord is also joyfully paraded.

The parish church, dedicated to St. Peter and Paul, is a very artistic monument of both architecture and painting, rich in marble works and decorations, erected on the site of a former smaller church and which is also the highest point in town. The construction of the present church was started on September 28, 1760 and the design is attributed to the Maltese architect Giuseppe Bonici.

This church is one of the most beautiful churches on the island. In 1907 a refurbishment programme took place to construct the aisles, dome and façade based on the Italian Renaissance design of Prof. F.S. Sciortino. The ceiling, depicting episodes connected with St. Peter and Paul, was painted by Lazzaro Pisani, while the architectural decorations are the work of the Italian Pio Cellini. 

More information: Nadur Parish

Our deep respect for the land and its harvest is the legacy of generations of farmers who put food on our tables, preserved our landscape, and inspired us with a powerful work ethic. 

James H. Douglas, Jr.

SAINT JOHN: THE PATRON OF THE EUROPEAN CULTURES

Knight of St John of Malta by Caravaggio

The Nativity of John the Baptist is a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of John the Baptist, a prophet who foretold the coming of the Messiah in the person of Jesus, whom he later baptised.

Christians have long interpreted the life of John the Baptist as a preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ, and the circumstances of his birth, as recorded in the New Testament, are miraculous. 

John's pivotal place in the gospel is seen in the emphasis Luke gives to the announcement of his birth and the event itself, both set in prominent parallel to the same occurrences in the life of Jesus. The Nativity of John the Baptist on June 24 comes three months after the celebration on March 25 of the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy, and six months before the Christmas celebration of the birth of Jesus.

The purpose of these festivals is not to celebrate the exact dates of these events, but simply to commemorate them in an interlinking way. The Nativity of John the Baptist anticipates the feast of Christmas.

More information: Loyola Press

The Nativity of John the Baptist is one of the oldest festivals of the Christian church, being listed by the Council of Agde in 506 as one of that region's principal festivals, where it was a day of rest and, like Christmas, was celebrated with three Masses: a vigil, at dawn, and at midday.

It is one of the patronal feasts of the Order of Malta. All over Europe Saint John's fires are lighted on mountains and hilltops on the eve of his feast. As the first day of summer, Saint John's Day is considered in ancient folklore one of the great charmed festivals of the year. Hidden treasures are said to lie open in lonely places, waiting for the lucky finder. 

Bonfires on Saint John's Eve

Divining rods should be cut on this day. Herbs are given unusual powers of healing, which they retain if they are plucked during the night of the feast. 

Festivals of Midsummer's Eve or St. John's Eve among Christians have roots in ancient celebrations related to the summer solstice. Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits which were believed to roam freely when the sun was turning southward again. 

 

In later years, witches were also thought to be on their way to meetings with other powerful beings. In the 7th century, Saint Eligius warned against midsummer activities and encouraged new converts to avoid them in favor of the celebration of St. John the Baptist's birth.

The Bonfires of Saint John is a traditional and popular festival celebrated around the world during Midsummer, which takes place on the evening of 23 June, St. John's Eve. The bonfires are particularly popular in Catalan-speaking areas from Salses to Guardamar, and for this reason it's regarded 24 June as the Catalan nation day, even though Catalonia's patron saint is actually St. George.

 

More information: Saint John's Eve

When you do something, 

you should burn yourself up completely, 

like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself. 

Shunryu Suzuki