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Events

Lill San Pietru Pawl: Innu Marc Versi ta' Patri Mattew Sultana. Muzika ta' Vincent Ciappara

Lill San Pietru u San Pawl

Innu Marc Versi ta' Patri Mattew Sultana....Muzika ta' Vincenzo Ciappara

The Titular Statue of St. Peter and St. Paul

celebrates its 125th year in our community

By Daniel Meilak

The titular statue of St. Peter and St. Paul this year celebrates its 125th year in our community. It was in July, 1881, when Fr John Camilleri after only four months since he assumed his position as a Parish Priest in the parish of Nadur, where he was born and baptized, that he succeeded in negotiating with the company Galard et Fils in Marseilles and commissioned the artistic statue of St. Peter and St. Paul. But how did the choice of its unique form come about? How was the company Galard et Fils chosen to produce it and what was the surprise which the people of Nadur faced, 125 years ago? The Nadur Parish Priest, Fr John Camilleri will be remembered because of his
initiative to bring to Gozo three titular statues from Galard et Fils in the nineteenth century. It was in 1863, sometime after he was appointed as Parish Priest of Zebbug, that after gaining the necessary knowledge about this company from some Gozitans who had earlier emigrated to France, commissioned the titular statue of the Assumption of Mary for this parish. Furthermore, Dun Gwann was appointed as Parish Priest for Xaghra and here he commissioned the titular statue of Maria Bambina. This was blessed on 26th May, 1878, when the Xaghra Parish Church was consecrated.

As Parish Priest in Nadur, Camilleri encouraged by the success he gained in the previous parishes, felt the need of a titular statue in Nadur. After only some months from his appointment, Parish Priest Camilleri commissioned the titular statue of St. Peter and St. Paul. On July 14th, 1881, there was already an agreement and that the company Galard et Fils had to be paid 300 scudi. Michael Caruana who was a close friend of Parish Priest Camilleri offered to pay half the price of this statue. In fact, he paid 150 scudi for the part of St. Peter. The proposed sketch in 1881 was already sent to Nadur, but it was not satisfying. So, Fr John Camilleri by some sketches he had done himself, gave Galard et Fils a general idea of how the statue had to be composed. The statue of St. Peter and St. Paul was produced in a relatively short time and in 1882 it was already in Nadur. A small plate placed under St.Paul depicting the words: Galard Statuaire Marseille, as well as other words painted in red: ‘Galard Marseille’ indicates who and where the statue was manufactured.

When the statue was revealed, it was greatly praised. But, with the surprise of everyone, as it was put out of its box in which it was packed, it was revealed that on the rear of it, it wasn't’t gilded. Because of its huge size, the manufacturers in France thought that it was to be placed in a niche only. Consequently, the Capuchin Gwannbattista Mamo was commissioned to continue the work on the back of the statue on the same pattern which he did with great ability. Hundred years after the manufacturing of this statue, Michael Camilleri Cauchi produced a replica of it. On June 13th,1981, the Bishop of Gozo H. G. Nicholas Cauchi blessed this new statue of St. Peter and St. Paul which was commissioned by the Nadur Community in
Australia. In June, 1982, 25 years ago, this statue was prominent in the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, which is celebrated every year in Melbourne, Australia. It was one of the first statues done for this continent, where different Maltese feasts are celebrated within the different Maltese communities in this country.

With no doubt, the name of Fr John Camilleri will be bound with this precious statue. His name left an impact because during his time when he was Parish Priest, the parish of Nadur was honoured with the titles of Archipresbyteral (1893) and Collegiate (1894). Hundred years ago, in his last years, Fr John Camilleri, now Archpriest, laid the first stone for the expansion of the then present church. In 1907, started the construction on the façade and the aisles on a renaissance style, of this monumental temple dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, Princes of the Apostles.
Archpriest Fr John Camilleri died on May, 31, 1910, at the age of 80. He will long be remembered for the work he done as a Parish Priest in Zebbug,
Xaghra, and his native town of Nadur. He was a beloved Parish Priest because of the acquisition of the three titular statues of these parishes and also
succeeded in bringing happiness and love from much generations towards these holy resemblances.

Today, the community of Nadur, commemorates this event of 125 years ago with deep affection.

References: "In-Nadur" - Fr. Alexander Bonnici
Acknowledgements: Nadur Parish Archive.

The Significance of ‘Basilica’
By Daniel Meilak

Forty years ago, on June 26th, 1967, Pope Paul VI honoured the Monumental Temple of Nadur with the dignity of Minor Basilica with the Apostolic Bull bearing its first words: 'Romæ Parentibus' – To those who founded Rome. This was a dignity which related this temple with other temples bearing the same title. All these Temples have this common relation with each other, the special relation with the Pope. But how was this concept of ‘Basilica’
developed? What significance does it have in our times?

History

The word ‘Basilica’ is a Latin word originating from Greek, which means ‘Royal House’. The Royal Palace Basilikè Stoà of King Archon, built in the 6th century B.C. in Athens, is considered as the oldest architectural structure which was given this name. The Basilica did not only remain in Greece. With the Roman Empire, public buildings, which consisted of a huge hall partitioned in three areas with columns, and served as a centre for trading purposes and also as courts of justice, were given this name. After the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., which gave the Church liberty, a number of churches which were being built in important positions for the Christians in Rome, were being built on this style, and so they were associated with this name. Along with those, in the sixteenth century, in another number of churches in this city considered as privileged, a Collegiate was being founded, similar to today’s ones, where a number of priests were bound to pray in a community. Later, in the eighteenth century, these churches were being called Basilicas and were the role model on which this dignity was based. In 1783, the first Basilica was founded with a decree given from the Apostolic Authorities. The church of St. Nicholas in Tolentino, Italy, laid the way for other churches throughout the world which have this dignity.
There are two categories of Basilica. There are the Major Basilicas which amount to four and are located in Rome. These Basilicas belong to the Pope.
There are also the Minor Basilicas, the common ones which are found throughout the world. Added to those, there are the Immemorial ones, which had acquired this dignity before 1783. A small number of Minor Basilicas are called Pontificial because of their importance and they are administered from the Roman Curia. Currently, the number of churches holding this dignity amounts to about 1500. This figure continuously changes due to new Basilicas being founded.

Today’s ‘Basilica’

After the Second Vatican Council, the dignity of ‘Basilica’ was adapted to our times. Today, a Basilica is nothing else but a temple which is associated with the Pope; a temple which represents a community which expresses this association through prayer and the promotion of His teachings. The Basilica is a temple to which there are attributed to it the founders of the Church, the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul. So, every Basilica, to show its attribution with these Saints represented in the figure of the Pope, is yearly obliged to celebrate these feasts appropriately: the Chair of St.
Peter – February 22nd, the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul – June 29th and the Anniversary of the Pope’s election to the Papacy – April 19th. Along with these, when one visits the Basilica s/he can acquire the plenary indulgence, the grace of being pardoned from the burden of time. This could be acquired after the necessary conditions made on the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, on the Anniversary of the giving of the dignity of Basilica, on the titular feast and on other particular days, are observed.
The usage of the Canopy with red and white stripes, of the Bell and of the Keys of St. Peter located in a prominent position are the symbols or Insignia which show that the church is a Basilica. The number of churches in the Maltese Islands which have the dignity of Basilica amounts to nine, with the Porto Salvo in Valletta as the first one acquiring this title (25-3-1816), after it was first decreed in 1783.
The community of Nadur, along with all the Basilicas in Malta and Gozo, with the spirit of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, of the special association with the spiritual leader; the Pope, expressed through prayer, is commemorating this Anniversary.
(On Tuesday, 26th June, 2007, the spiritual leaders of all the Maltese and the Gozitan Basilicas, during a High Mass lead by Bishop Mgr. Nicholas Cauchi, in the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council’s teachings, are going to pray, to commemorate this Anniversary. They are going to pray to St. Peter and St. Paul for the Pope as well as for the unity between the Christians. Along this day and even during the festivity days, the Insignia of these Basilicas are going to be hosted in this Basilica, in the spirit of common union among those churches which share the same dignity.

References: Vatican Decrees - Lucerina 1836, Domus Dei 1968 and Domus Ecclesiae 1989.
Further Reading: Nadur Parish Publication - Luminaria (June 2007), 'X'Inhi l-Bazilika' by Mr Anthony Said.

L-ISTATWA TITULARI TA’ SAN PIETRU U SAN PAWL
TAGĦLAQ 125 SENA FOSTNA

Kitba ta’ Anton Said

L-Istatwa Titulari ta’ San Pietru u San Pawl din is-sena għalqet 125 sena fostna.  Kien f’Lulju tas-sena 1881, li l-Kappillan Dun Ġwann Camilleri, wara erba` xħur biss  li  ħa t-tmexxija tal-parroċċa tan-Nadur, il-parroċċa li fiha  twieled u tgħammed,   wasal fi ftehim mad-ditta  Galard et Fils ta’Marsilja, u kkumissjona l-istatwa artistika ta’ San Pietru u San Pawl. Iżda kif waslet l-għażla għal  għamla unika ta’ din l-istatwa? Kif intgħażlet id-ditta Galard et Fils, u x’sorpriża kellhom in-Nadurin 125 sena ilu?

Il-Kappillan Naduri Dun Ġwann Camilleri jibqa` magħruf għaliex bis-saħħa tiegħu, fis-seklu dsatax,  f’Għawdex  inġiebu numru ta’ statwi mingħand id-ditta Galard et Fils, fosthom tliet statwi titulari. Kien fis-sena 1863, ftit wara l-ħatra tiegħu ta’ Kappillan tal-parroċċa taż-Żebbuġ, li wara li kien kiseb it-tagħrif meħtieġ dwar din id-ditta mingħand xi għawdxin emigranti fi Franza, il-Kappillan Camilleri kkumissjona l-istatwa ta’ Marija Assunta għal din il-parroċċa. Lura fiż-żmien meta kien ġie maħtur Kappillan tal-parroċċa tax-Xagħra, Dun Ġwann Camilleri kien ukoll ikkumissjona l-istatwa tant ħelwa ta’ Marija Bambina, titular ta’ din il-parroċċa. Fis-26 ta’ Mejju 1878, meta l-knisja Parrokkjali tax-Xagħra  ġiet ikkonsagrata, f’dan il-jum kienet ukoll tbierket l-istatwa ta’ Marija Bambina.

Lura bħala Kappillan fil-parroċċa tiegħu tan-Nadur,  Camilleri, imqanqal bis-suċċess li kien kiseb fil-parroċċi preċedenti,  dlonk ħass in-nuqqas ta’ l-istatwa titulari. Għaldaqstant ftit xhur wara l-ħatra tiegħu,  ikkumissjona l-istatwa titulari ta’ San Pietru u San Pawl. Fl-14 ta’ Lulju 1881, kien diġa’ sar il-ftehim, u tissemma l-ispiża ta’ 300 skud li d-ditta Galard et Fils kienet  talbet għal dan ix-xogħol.  Mikiel Caruana li  kien qarib tal-kappillan Camilleri  offra nofs il-ħlas ta’ din l-istatwa. Huwa  ħareġ minn butu 150 skud għall figura ta’ San Pietru. L-abbozz propost, fis-sena msemmija kien diġa ntbagħat fin-Nadur, iżda dan ma kienx skond  dak mixtieq. Għalhekk Dun Ġwann Camilleri, permezz ta’ disinni magħmula minu stess, ta’ idea ġenerali lil Galard et Fils ta’ kif kellha issir din l-istatwa. L-istatwa ta’ San Pietru u San Pawl  inħadmet fi żmien qasir , u fis-sena 1882,  kienet tinsab  fin-Nadur. Pjanċa żgħira taħt il-persuna ta’ San Pawl bil-kliem Galard Statuaire Marseille, u  kliem ieħor simili b’żebgħa ħamra ta’ Galard Marseille jindikaw minn min, u fejn inħadmet din l-istatwa.

Meta nkixfet, l-istatwa ta’ San Pietru u San Pawl  intgħoġbot immensament. Iżda b’sorpriża, hekk kif inħarġet mill-kaxxa li kienet stivata fiha, instab li fuq in-naħa ta’ wara ma kinitx indurata. Minħabba l-kobor tagħha, l-istatwarji franċiżi  ħasbu li din kienet ser titpoġġa ġewwa niċċa u mhux biex tinġarr proċessjonalment. Għalhekk,  tqabbad il-Kapuċċin Patri Ġwannbattista  Mamo, li b’sengħa kbira kompla x-xogħol ta’ induratura fuq l-istess linji. Mitt sena wara l-miġja ta’ din l-istatwa, inħadmet replika eżatta tagħha mill-istatwarju Michael Camilleri Cauchi. Fit-13 ta’ Ġunju 1981, l-Isqof  t’Għawdex Nikol Cauchi bierek din l-istatwa ġdida ta’ San Pietru u San Pawl li kienet ġiet ikkommissjonata mill-komunita` Nadurija  fl-Awstralja. F’Ġunju ta’ ħamsa u għoxrin sena ilu (1982) din l-istatwa żżanżnet fil-festa ta’ l-Imnarja li tiġi ċċelebrata   ta’ kull sena f’Melbourne. Kienet l-ewwel statwa minn fost ħafna li saru wara għal dan il-kontinent, fejn diversi festi maltin jiġu ċċelebrati mill-komunita`  maltija mferrxa f’dan il-pajjiż.

Ritratt: L-Isqof Nikol Cauchi ibierek l-istatwa qabel telqet ghal Melbourne f'1981.

L-isem tal-Kappillan Dun Ġwann Camilleri, bla dubju ta’ xejn jibqa` marbut ma’ din l-istatwa tant għal qalb in-Nadurin, li skond ħsibijietu din ġiet komposta. Huwa ħalla isem għaliex fi żmienu, il-parroċċa tan-Nadur  saret waħda Arċipretali (1893), u Kolleġġjata Insinji (1894). Mitt sena ilu, fl-aħħar snin ta’ ħajtu, Dun Ġwann, issa Arċipriet, kien poġġa l-ewwel ġebla tat-tkabbir tal-knisja preżenti. Fl-1907  ingħata bidu għall-bini fuq stil rinaxximentali tas-seklu sbatax, tal-faċċata, n-navi u koppla ta’ dan  it-tempju monumentali ddedikat lill-Prinċpijiet ta’ l-Appostli San Pietru u San Pawl.

L-Arċipriet Dun Ġwann Camilleri miet fil-31 ta’ Mejju 1910, fl-għomor ta’ 80 sena. Huwa kien il-Kappillan li rabat ismu għall-ħidma li wettaq mal-parroċċi  taż-Żebbuġ, tax-Xagħra u dik tiegħu tan-Nadur. Kien il-Kappillan li permezz tal-miġja ta’ l-istatwi titulari ta’ dawn it-tliet parroċċi, huwa  sar tant maħbub. Hu kien dak li rnexxielu jnissel  ferħ u mħabba dejjiema minn bosta ġenerazjonijiet lejn dawn ix-xbihat  qaddisa.

Illum in-Nadurin din il-ġrajja memorabbli ta’125 sena ilu qegħdin ifakkru b’imħabba u b’ tant għożża.

Referenzi u Ritratti:  Arkivju Kolleġġjata Bażilika Nadur.

MALTESE HARVEST FESTIVAL

MNARJA SHOW

Arts and Craft presented at the Mnarja Show	Picture of St. Peter and Paul, protecting the town of Nadur. Created by Peter Paul Portelli