CHAPTER 3.

                                                    The Fraternity of the Crucifix (tal-Kurcifiss)

             The new Fraternity of the Crucifix was set up in 1715 in the last days of Parish Priest Dun Mikiel Testaferrata. This Fraternity took on all the obligations previously assigned to the Fraternity of Charity (tal-Karita’), which by now existed only in name. This is confirmed in the statute of the Fraternity which states that: ‘the members of the Fraternity of the Crucifix have to follow the traditions of the society. They must take care of the death and accompany them to their burial.’ Apart from this obligation, the Fraternity of the Crucifix introduced another social obligation, that of helping the poor. A procurator used to be appointed from among the members, whose job was to administer the funds so that money could be distributed to poor members of the Fraternity, and when available, even to the poor among the other parishioners of Senglea. Senglea, in those days benefited a lot from work created by the Order of St John. Nonetheless, there were still many on the poverty line, either because of lack of continual work or else because of some other misfortune. Old age pensioners were the worse off especially those who suffered from some physical disability or lived on their own. Orphans, widows, especially those with large families and who did not have sustainable income also needed assistance. Apart from these obligations, the Fraternity of the Crucifix took on the organization of the processions of the Holy Cross and of Holy Friday.      

           The number of members grew a lot and their enthusiasm for their cause knew no bounds. In 1725, they commissioned the painter Carrado Gianquinto (1690-1765) to paint a titular painting for the altar the Fraternity had in the parish church. The painting is of our Lady by the Cross. This large and beautiful painting can still be admired even today. The membership continued to increase, and soon the chapel became too small to accommodate them. It was becoming very difficult for them to carry out the spiritual devotions required of them by their statue, especially during the times of Lent. So it was decided that they build a new large Oratory. Works on this project started in 1727.

      The example and hard work by which the Fraternity promoted devotion towards the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, helped to attract to its fold many of the people of Senglea and others from neighbouring towns and villages.

The membership of this Fraternity was not only made up of common people by many intellectuals, artists, priests and knights joined in too. For eight years, between 1763 and 1771, the Grand Master Emanuel Pinto was a member of the Fraternity and even became its Prefect.

        In 1773, this Fraternity was accepted as fellow member of the Arch Fraternity of the Crucifix of the church of San Marcell in Rome. This union enabled the local members of the Fraternity to partake in the indulgences pertaining to members of the Arch Fraternity of Rome.

   

Picture 1

Picture  2

The members of the Fraternity used to take part in the ever increasing number of processions organised by the Fraternity. They also had to follow other obligations according to their regulations. They used to take part in the procession of the Holy Crucifix which is celebrated on the 3rd May, and which was considered as their main feast; the procession of the Holy Friday and also of the Holy Redeemer, which is held on the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost. They also used to take part in processions organised by the Parish, such as that of the titular feast of Our Lady (Maria Bambina) on the 8th September and of the feast of Corpus Christi.

     They also used to take part in the procession of Saint Rocco and the processions of other Fraternities with whom they had reciprocal agreements. During these processions and during other similar functions like the visits to the Holy Sepulchre on Maundy Thursday and on Good Friday, they used to wear their religious garb as approved by their statute. The religious garb worn was dark linen; a hood of same material which covered their head; a black cope; a cord round their waist and a pair of sandals.(Pic.2) During these processions they used to follow a violet standard which had the cross as an emblem embroidered in the middle of it. The cross of the Fraternity and two lanterns used to follow the standard. (Pic.1)

 

      The members of the Fraternity used to follow one after the other in two columns. In their hands they used to carry a walnut cross and a long dark candlestick. The Prefect, accompanied by his assistants, one on each side, used to come up at the rear of the procession. As a visible sign that this was a Fraternity which preached and practiced poverty, the standard pole, the cross and the lanterns were made of wood not of silver as in the case of other Fraternities. As a sign of humility, in processions where this Fraternity took part with other Fraternities, the Fraternity of the Crucifix used to walk in front, thus surrendering the right of dignity which she had, being an older Fraternity than most of the others.

       This Fraternity has always been strict in adhering to its regulations. As a token of their great charitable ideas, in 1814, this Fraternity was entrusted with the administration of the old people’s home of St Anne (Ospizio Sant’Anna).

      The old people’s home was set up by Senglean’s benefactors Nikola Dingli and his wife Madalena Cornelio. The Fraternity used to appoint a committee, led by a procurator, who used to take care of the administration of this premises and also the well being of its residents. As time went by, owing to the increase in the well being of the population, there was no longer the need to take care of the poor, especially their burial, so the administration of this home became the main aim of this Fraternity. During the mid 1900s, when the Procurator was Dun Vincenz Camilleri the Fraternity was the main source of income for the administration of this great social service for the old people of Senglea. The Fraternity proved itself as an invaluable asset when the home, which by than was in a bad state, was demolished and re-erected again on modern lines. The modernised building was inaugurated on the 30th June 1987.

                                

         Ospizio S.Anna before it was demolished and re-erected

 

 

     The feast of the Holy Cross (tas-Salib Imqaddes)

 

In the past, the Catholic Church used to celebrate the feast of the Holy Cross twice a year. One feast fell on the 3rd May, to commemorate the day when St Helen found the Holy Cross and the other feast was celebrated on the 14th September. On this day the exultance of the Holy Cross (ezaltazzjoni tas-Salib) is commemorated. The Fraternity of the Crucifix used to celebrate both days but kept the feast of the 3rd May as its main feast day.

    For the feast first vespers (l-ewwel Ghasar) used to be said. High Mass followed, during which a sermon for the occasion (panegierku) was delivered. Second vespers followed. The procession was held at the end of the service. These celebrations used to be carried out with a lot of pomp and solemnity. Music used to be provided by an orchestra same as that used during the titular feast. During the procession, the celebrant used to carry a most precious relic. It is a little piece of the Holy Cross (Vero Lignum). As a sign of respect this relic was carried under a red canopy (baldakkin) which was made in 1856. For this feast the church used to be decorated with red silk tapestry and all the other altars decorated with candlesticks and altar frontals or antependia (ventaltari) provided by the Fraternity of the Crucifix

                        

                     The Statue of the Holy Cross coming out of the 

                                                 church  in  1922            

       The Statue of the Holy Cross (Santu Kruc) was commissioned in 1910 during the time of the Procurator Giacinto Demajo. The angles were made by Guzeppi Cilia and the cross by Vincenzo Camilleri. The pedestal was used for a previous statue but was altered and made to fit this statue. The work on the pedestal was carried out by Guzeppi Scerri and gilded by the brothers Farrugia. From receipts found for the works carried out it resulted that the whole cost of these works was 51 pounds and 6 shillings (Lm51.30c in our money). Obviously, before this statue there was already an older one. The angles of the first statue are now found in the chapel of St Julians (San Giljan). The pedestal, as mentioned above, was amended to suit the new statue.

       Owing to lack of interest, this feast was last held in 1978.

 

   40 hours adoration (Kwaranturi) by the Fraternity

 

                        For many years, the Fraternity of the Crucifix used to organise the forty hours of adoration (Kwaranturi) in front of the Blessed Sacrament, solemnly exposed on the altar. This adoration used to be held on the 30th, 31st October and on the 1st November. The Blessed Sacrament used to be exposed on the main altar of the Oratory. From the archives one can note that these adorations were held up to 1939, whey they had to be discontinued because of the war. For this solemn occasion, the Fraternity had a large gilandra (See Photo) (a kind of ornamental throne with a revolving cover where the monstrance containing the Sacred Host is kept for public adoration on an altar). This gilandra is now still being used by the Parish which hold the adorations on the last three days of each year.

     

      The Fraternity also had ecclesiastical vestments such as tunic (pjaneta) used by the celebrant and two tunics (tunicelli) (See Photo) used by the assistant ministers during High Mass. These vestments, decorated with gold embroidered works, were sewn on white cloth and also had the emblem of the Fraternity embossed on them.

 

 

     

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