SENGLEA THROUGH THE AGES - 46 & 47

Seventy five years ago – the degree permitting the crowning of the statue of Marija Bambina

     Senglea is preparing itself so that in 1996 it will celebrate, as deem fit, the seventy fifth anniversary of the crowning of the statue of Marija Bambina. The crowning of the statue was the climax of a lot of hard work which was done beforehand. Many other churches in Malta and Gozo tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade the church authorities for their wish to be implemented. Even though the statue of Marija Bambina has been venerated in the parish of Senglea ever since 1618, no previous request was ever made for the crowning of the statue. For many years this request could not be made because it was not the norm that statues or altar pieces be crowned. In Malta crowning of altar pieces started in 1881. In 1895, the altar piece of Our Lady drawn by St Luke’s and which is kept at the Cathedral was crowned in 1895. It was followed by the crowning of the altar piece of Our Lady at Mellieha in 1899 and of the altar piece of the Immaculate Conception of Cospicua in 1905.

     Up to then no statue has ever been crowned. Following the difficult years of World War I (1914-1918) the people of Senglea started to show their desire that the statue of Marija Bambina be crowned. Archbishop Mawru Caruana, who spent most of his childhood in Senglea submitted, in 1920, recourse to the Capitol of the Vatican in the name of the Capitol and of the faithful of Senglea.

     The statue of Marija Bambina had all the necessary qualifications needed for a statue to be crowned. It was an old statue; strong devotion towards the statue by the faithfully was showed for many years and there were clear certainties that the devotion would not waive off after the coronation.

     Nonetheless everybody was surprised when the Archbishop’s request was treaty with such urgency. The degree for the crowning of the statue was approved in Rome on the 1^st May 1920 and arrived in Malta on the 7^th May 1920. When the people of Senglea learnt about the favourable answer to their request they put up flags on top of their roofs in show of celebration.

     The degree was read in Senglea from top of the pulpit on the 23^rd May 1920. Many felt that Our Lady wanted to thank the people of Senglea for the love they always showed Her. For this occasion the Archbishop Caruana himself was present. The Secretary of the Diocese, Mons Vassallo, made the speech for the occasion. The canons sang the Te Deum and the local band Queen’s Own played marches throughout the streets of Senglea as part of the festivities.

     The ceremony was the beginning of the historic celebrations carried out for the crowning of the statue of Our Lady which was carried out on the 4^th September 1921.

SENGLEA THROUGH THE AGES - 47

Seventy five years ago – preparations so that the Collegiate of Senglea be elevated to Basilica

       Before the coronation of the statue of Marija Bambina

     Just four months had passed since the reading of the degree of the coronation of the statue of Marija Bambina on the 23^rd May 1920, when the titular feast was celebrated on the 8^th September 1920, the first time the feast was celebrated after the difficult years encountered during World War I. Preparations were still at their infancy but all the people of Senglea were full of enthusiasm and expectations of a grand feast to celebrate the crowning of the statue of Our Lady, when the church was to be decorated as befitted the special occasion.

     The people of Senglea were eager to see their church elevated to the status of Basilica. There were many who really loved Senglea and who desired that the Collegiate be elevated and have the same honour as that given in 1816 to the parochial church of St Mary of Safe Haven in Valletta and later on in 1895 to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Carmel also in Valletta.

Show of gratitude to those who deserve it

     Senglea’s church was deemed fit to become a Basilica, but as usual there needed to be somebody to make the authorities at the Vatican conscious of these qualifications.

     Senglea is very much grateful to Pope Benedict XV who issued the degree necessary for such great honour to be bestowed to our church. Both degrees of the coronation and of the Basilica were issued by Pope Benedict XV. The Pope issued these degrees because he was persuaded that these honours were deserved and the recommendations were made by people from Senglea itself.

     The history of Senglea is greatly debited to local Sengleans namely the Benedict Dom Mauro Inguanez and Dun Goffred Lubrano, who later on became the leading Canon of the Collegiate. Both were born and bred in Senglea. The Capitol was kept in the dark, but these two personalities, with the full consent of the Parish priest, Canon Dun Guzepp Attard, went to Rome to seek the support of Cardinal Vico.

     In 1920 just as the feast of Marija Bambina was concluded, the recourse started. It first had to be submitted to the Highest Authority of the Church. In those days there was not parish church run by diocesan priests which had been elevated to the title of Basilica.

     The application was not made by the Capitol but it was made by Parish priest Adami. It was obvious that the Benedictine Inguanez had a hand in writing this request. He was experienced enough and knew the ropes pretty well.

     The Capitular’s meeting held on the 20^th September 1920 was a very important meeting. The Secretary was the Theologian Canon Dun Manwel Galea who later on was to become an Auxiliary Bishop of Malta.

     The recourse gives details of the glorious history of Senglea and its parish. We are now familiar with these wonderful events. Senglea is the unconquered city as proved following the Great Siege of 1565. The church is a monument of the victory achieved in that siege. There is great devotion towards the statue of Marija Bambina and which was soon to be crowned. The church of Senglea has been a Collegiate since 1786.

     The Capitol approved the recourse as presented to them. So on the 27^th September 1920, a Capitular’s delegation officially presented the recourse to the Archbishop Mawru Caruana. He promised that the Diocese was going to give all its backing to this recourse when it is presented to the Holy See. The Holy See looked on very favourably to recourses which had the backing of the local Bishop.

Discussions which gave favourable results

     Lubrano and Inguanez continued with their correspondence so that Cardinal Vico could present this recourse to the Pope. It was imperative that the Holy See was clearly informed that Senglea had all the necessary qualifications to be installed as a Basilica. There was no mention that the church of Senglea was consecrated, so a clarification had to be made stating that Bishop Paolo Alpheran de Bussan consecrated the church on the 20^th October 1743.

     By the end of 1920 it was assumed that the necessary degree would be issued by Pope Benedict XV. Many were even expecting a Christmas present, but it was not to be. There were still some points which needed clarifications. Nonetheless the people of Senglea did not have to wait much longer in fact the necessary degree of approval was issued on the 3^rd January 1921.

This article was written in 1996

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