CHAPTER I

The beginning: Senglea and its Parish

     Senglea saw its beginning in 1530, some years after the order of St John came to Malta. Grand Master Juan D’Omedes (1536-1553) realised that new fortifications were needed and so he built Fort St Michael. This fort was designed by the Order’s engineer Pedro Pardo and was inaugurated on the 8^th May 1552. Grand Master Claude de la Sengle (1553-1557) continued building the fortifications and other buildings. In 1554 declared Isla as a City and gave her his name of Senglea. He also ordered that Senglea would use his coat of arms as her coat of arms. During the Great Siege of 1565, Senglea was in the centre of the conflict and came out with flying colours. Grand Master Jean de la Vallette (1557-1568) decorated the City of Senglea with the title of ‘Civitas Invicta’ that is ‘the unconquered city’.

      After a few years the citizens of Senglea built a temple dedicated to the victory of which they had played an important part. Since the hostilities ceased on the 8^th September, the people of Senglea dedicated the Church to the Birth of our Lady. Senglea used to form part of the parish of Vittoriosa up to than but it became a new separate parish early in 1581. Fr Anton di Nicolai was the first Parish Priest of Senglea. The Parish Church was dedicated to our Lady of Victories. As times went on the parish of Senglea became one of the main parishes of Malta and on the 21^st May 1786, Pope Pius VI elevated the Parish to Collegiata Insignis. On the 3^rd January 1921, Pope Benedict XV honoured the parish with the title of Basilica.

     The Parish of Senglea had many Fraternities. These Fraternities carried out a lot of social and pastoral work amongst the most needed. The work carried out was one of the main reasons while such honours were bestowed on the Parish. The earliest and most important Fraternity was that of the Blessed Sacrament which was set up between 1575 and 1580. This Fraternity was set up initially in the church of St Julian, which at that time was the only church in Senglea, until the Parish Church was built. In 1598, the Fraternity of the Holy Rosary was set up at the new Church of Porto Salvo. Later on this Fraternity was transferred to the Parish Church. In 1615, the Fraternity of Our Lady of Charity was set up. This Fraternity was the first Fraternity to have been set up at the Parish Church. As time went by, the Fraternity joined forces with the Fraternity of the Crucifix and for many years became the main Fraternity of the Parish.

      The Fraternity of the Immaculate Conception was set up between 1647-1650 and it was given the task of taking care of the titular statue of Our Lady, popularly known as Marija Bambina. This statute arrived in Senglea in 1618 in a most providential way. This Fraternity used to organise two feasts during which the statue of Our Lady was taken in processions through the streets of Senglea. One feast was held in December on the feast of the Immaculate Conception and the other feast was held in May. This feast was known as being dedicated to Our Lady of the Lily. It is also worthwhile to point out that this Fraternity used also to organise the feast of the Risen Christ. On the 25^th March 1652, the Fraternity of the Holy Trinity was set up. This Fraternity is still the only one dedicated to the Holy Trinity in the whole of the island. The social scope of this Fraternity was to buy slaves from slavery and set them free.

     As time went on, further Fraternities were set up, but the ones mentioned above remained the largest and most import Fraternities of the Parish of Senglea.