CHAPTER  4

                                                   The Oratory of the Crucifix (l-Oratorju tal-Kurcifiss)

    Description of the Oratory

Building works on the Oratory began in 1727. It is situated on the left hand side of the church. The land on which this Oratory was constructed was donated to the Fraternity by the bailiff (Balliju) of the Order the Knight Emmanuel Pinto. This knight later on became a Gran Master of the Order. The design of this spacious and attractive Oratory is of artists from Senglea. Klawdju Duranti was the architect; Francesco Zerafa was the master mason responsible for the building works whereas the sculptor was Pietro Paolo Zahra who was more commonly known as Paolo Zahra.       He embellished the oratory with fantastic baroque style of sculpture. The construction of the Oratory took 2 years to be completed from 1731 to 1733 and it remains as a masterpiece in memory of these three artists from Senglea.       Particulars which attract immediate attention are the walls which are adorned with pilasters equidistant from each other and also the elevation of the main façade. Six angels, each carrying symbols of the Passion are placed between the pilasters. These angels are modelled on the original ones of Gian Lorenzo Bernini of Rome.

In between the pilasters on the side of the Oratory there are six very artistic paintings. The painting on top of the altar of the Redeemer (Redentur)   represents Jesus Christ with the cross and other symbols connected with the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The other one on top of the side door leading to Crucifix Street represents Our Lady of Sorrows (Madonna Addolorata).  The renowned painter Mattia Preti (1613-1699) is the author these two paintings. The other four paintings, which show different episodes of the Passion of Our Lord, are the work of the Senglean artist Francesco Zahra (1710-1773). They were painted in 1739.

On top of the rather high plinth (zokklatura), in    between the columns which hold up the angels, there   are the pictures representing the seven stations of  the Way of the Mother (Via Matris). These stations  represent the sufferings of Our Lady all through her   life as Mother of Christ. The painter of these  stations was the Senglean Giuseppi Bonnici and    they were commissioned in 1890.      All around the Oratory one can find the wooden  stalls which once were used by the members of the  Fraternity during their services. There is also a  special high stall for the Officials of the Fraternity.      All these seats are made of walnut and were made  in 1739. In the centre of the main stall there is a   walnut crucifix on the back of the seat. It was  donated to the Fraternity by Grand Master Pinto  during the term he was Prefect of the Fraternity.

     Undoubtedly the most renowned and devoted area of this Oratory is the area of the niche of the miraculous statue of Jesus Redeemer (Gesu’ Redentur). This statue has been a centre of devotion for hundreds of years, as we shall see further on. A small picture of Our Lady of Sorrows (id-Duluri) is situated in a little niche in the passage way between the Church and the Oratory. This niche also attracts lots of devotees. In this passageway there are two marble slabs commemorating the two times the Statue of Jesus Redeemer (Gesu’ Redentur) was taken out

 of Senglea for devotional celebrations in other parts of the Diocese namely in 1974 and 1983.

       Donations for grace received and ex-voto pictures

     Without doubt, as time went by, the Oratory of the Crucifix became a sanctuary of devotion towards Christ the Redeemer (Gesu’ Redentur) who gave His life for us on the Crucifix. Every day many people, from all over the islands came to pray and give thanks to Our Lord Jesus Christ. This devotion prompted the Arch Bishop Michael Gonzi on the 23rd May 1958, to give a special indulgence of 200 days to those persons who, with devotion, say the following prayer in front of the statue of Jesus Christ the Redeemer: Oh kind and good Jesus, Saviour of mankind, here I am kneeling before you …. What a great desire I have, O Jesus the Redeemer, that you help me in all my present needs’. (O twajjeb u Hanin Gesu’, Feddej tal-bnedmin hawn jien mixhut gharkobtejja quddiemek ……….. Kbira hija x-xewqa tieghi O Gesu’ Redentur, li inti tieqaf mieghi fil-bzonnijiet kollha li bhalissa ninsab fihom’).

     One can say that these offerings can be split up into three different groups:

a)         There are donations of common day objects like baby clothes which are donated when some difficult pregnancy ends well. There are also walking sticks usually donated when some illness has been cured.

b)         Sometimes gold or silver objects in the form of a heart, foot, hand or eyes are also donated;

c)         There are also various painting mostly of ships caught in some tempest. These pictures were donated by sailors who were relieved to come alive following their horrible ordeals.

     Up to some years ago these objects, including the ex-voto frames, used to be put up on the walls of the Oratory as a show of appreciation to graces received through the intercession of Jesus Christ the Redeemer or of the Holy Crucifix. In most ex-voto pictures, one can see at the top corner either a portrait of Jesus Christ the Redeemer or of the Crucifix, as a sign that help was coming for the helpless from above, showing that miracles do happen. These pictures also show that much can be achieved by faith and prayers even when all seems lost. These gifts are men’s way of paying outward homage to God for hearing his/her’s prayers. They are also a sign of gratitude and thanks to God, in a way man knows how to manifest outwardly.

     Nowadays, in the vestry of the Oratory of the Crucifix there are two large showcases filled up of items described in (a) above. Silver offerings have now been put in the niche of Jesus Christ the Redeemer to decorate the sides and roof; in the niche of Our Lady of Sorrows and on the frieze (friz). Here they have been made in such a way to read two of the last seven phrases Jesus Christ said on the Cross, namely: Pater, demette illis; non enim sciunt quid faciunt (Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing) and the other phrase Pater, in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum (Father, in your hand I commend my soul). From close inspection of these silver items one can see that the initials P.G.R. (Per Gratia Ricevuta – For Grace Received) are etched on most of them.

     In olden days, some ex-voto pictures, which were considered of special importance, were hung up on the walls of the Oratory. These pictures were presented after some miraculous escape from death on the high seas and clearly show the strong faith and religious feelings of the sailors. In the bottom end of these pictures one usually finds brief information regarding each particular picture. One finds the date; the name of ship in question; the name of the person who asked for this particular grace and to whom he directed his prayers. On certain rare occasions one also finds written the initials V.F.G.A. – Votum Fecit, Gratiam Accepti (Grace asked for and received).

       One of these pictures is painted in oil on canvas. The others are painted on wood and some are painted in watercolour on hard paper. Most of the pictures are of unknown artists and on a small number of them there are the initials VG written in red. Most probably these were painted by Vincenzo Gonzi, who in the early part of the 19th century was a renowned artist of ships and galleys.

       The second oldest picture is dated 26th February 1811. This shows that there is a void of 70 odd years in this votive usage. Unfortunately only 15 pictures still exist today. This does not mean that during this period no similar pledges were made or else that in the following years only few ex-voto pictures were presented. One can presume that some were lost during the damage caused during the war.

    The Oratory during the War

     Senglea was badly affected during the way. This was inevitable because the dockyards are situated next to Senglea and they were the main target of many aerial attacks. The Basilica was badly hit during the first heavy air rain of January 1941. It continued to be hit regularly till it was finally destroyed during an air raid in April 1942. The Oratory of the Crucifix was also badly affected and heavily damaged.

     Initially only slight damage was done to the Oratory, but the vestry was completely destroyed following a direct hit on the 9th April 1942. To cap it all, after a couple of days, on the 11th April 1942, extensive damage was caused to the roof of the Oratory. The heavy load of stones and debris which fells was too much for the roof of the vault to support and the floor of the Oratory caved in, burying the vault underneath it. Also on that day, large cracks appeared on the façade of the main altar and in the wall separating the Oratory from the Church’s choir. One of the six angels, the one carrying the cross was reduced to smithereens. Luckily not everything was destroyed and the Crucifix on the main altar remained intact.

     It was obvious that the Basilica was going to be out of use for a long period of time, until it was re-constructed. The Oratory was hastily re-built and after the war started to serve as a church for the people who lived nearby. Works on the re-building of the Oratory were ready by 1947 and on the 30th August, the Oratory was blessed by Canon Fr. Frangisk Abela, who was the Rector of the Fraternity at that time. During the same period the niche of Jesus the Redeemer was repaired too and this miraculous statue could be put back in its rightful place for the devotion of the general public. The main altar was replaced by a new marble one and was in place by February 1948. The sculptor Marco Montebello sculptured a new statue of the angel with the Cross to the replace the one destroyed during the war.

      The decorations of the Oratory

Just as the Fraternity, many years ago, took the drastic step to build the oratory, it also it took steps to decorate it with appropriate artistic pieces. This could be done because of the hard work and dedication put in by the Procurators of the Fraternity. Apart from the Oratory, the Fraternity also cared for the altar of Our Lady of Sorrows which is situated in the south transept (kappellun tal-lemin).             Amongst the various artistic objects made in wood there are the set of six large candlesticks use on the main altar of the Oratory. The sculptor and gilder was the bottega (a student who worked with an artist) Marjanu Gerada. There are also a great number of silver objects. The main one is the antependia (ventartal) of the altar of Jesus the Redeemer. The antependium was made by the firm (ditta) Battaglia of Milan in 1953 on the model produced by the artist Antonio Sciortino in 1937. The antependium of the main altar of the Oratory was originally used for the main altar of the Collegiate. This antependia was made in 1865 by Paolo Busuttil on the design of the Senglean designer Vincenzo Bonnici. The antependium of the altar of Our Lady of Sorrows was designed by Mikiel Degiovanni at the end of the 19th century.

     On one of the many silver sanctuary lamps (lampiera) owed by the Fraternity there is the date 1707 etched on it. This proves that this sanctuary lamp was inherited from the Fraternity of Charity (Fraternity tal-Karita’). The silver candlesticks of the altar of Our Lady of Sorrows were made in 1960 by Francesco Cassar. They were modelled on the candlesticks used on the main altar of the parish Church, and which were originally made by Marjanu Gerada. There are also the candlesticks of the altar of Jesus Christ the Redeemer which were made in Rome. Apart from all this one can find the silver frames of the niche of Jesus the Redeemer made in 1917; the frame of the niche of Our Lady of Sorrows made in 1935 and the frames of the Via Matris made in 1962. Further silver ornaments include sconce (brazzi); missals (missali); Gloria cards (karti tal-glorja) and all other type of ornaments used to decorate the altars.

              All these artistic and very precious objects can be admired by one and all during the period of the feast of Our Lady of Victory (Marija Bambina) when they are exhibited in the Oratory. During this particular time the walls of the Oratory are decorated with silk tapestry (tappizzerija tal-harir), which was made in 1968. The altars, apart from the objects already mentioned, will be covered by gold embroidered cloth (sopratvalji tal-bellus). This Oratory is already an artistic and monumental effigy on its on, but during the time of the Feast its presentation is greatly enhanced by these additions.