CHAPTER 2

                                   The Fraternity of Charity and the introduction of the procession

       The people of the parish of Senglea have shown their devotion towards the Passion and Death of Our Lord since long time ago. In 1615, the Parish Priest, Fr Vincenz Caruana, who the second Parish Priest of Senglea, set up the Fraternity dedicated to Our Lady of Charity. The main aims of this Fraternity were to gives social and humanitarian help to the people. Since it was founded, the Fraternity was given great importance in the parish; in fact a chapel was set aside in the Parish Church to be used by the members of this Fraternity. The main aim of this Fraternity was to help the poor. It used to pay for the burial of the poor and help organise Masses for the repose of their souls. During the Pastoral visit of Bishop Michael Balaguees in 1653 he put the following comment in his notes with reference to this visit: ‘The members of the Fraternity practice their acts of charity by taking care of the burial of the poor for free’.

      These acts of charity can also be confirmed from the registry of the death kept at the Parish archives. The Parish Priest used to make a note that the burial service was carried out ‘gratis’ and most burials were carried out in the chapel of this Fraternity, as further proof that it took care for a decent burial for those who could not afford to pay. Owing to the fact that the poor were really poor they had nobody to offer suffrage on their behalf once they die. Pawlu Haxaq, left a legacy of three hundred and seventy-five skud (scudo), so that from the interests that accrued, masses could be said for these departed souls.

    The religious garb worn by the members of this Fraternity was white with a red cope on which there was the emblem of the Fraternity. The Fraternity possessed a cross and two lanterns which were used during the procession.

 From a report given by the Parish Priest Dun Vincenz Caruana to the apostolic visitor Mons Baldassere Cagliares, it was noted that in 1616, even though the Fraternity had only been set up for a year, it had already been affiliated with the Arch fraternity of Charity based in Rome. The titular feast of the Fraternity was il-Madonna tas-Silg (Our Lady of Ice) and it was celebrated on the 5^th August.

The Society of Agony was set up on the 10^th May 1640 and used the same chapel as that used by the Fraternity of Charity. The society incorporated both males and females. As its name implies, this society was set up so that prayers could be said on behalf of their members during their agony. In order to help its members prepare well for their death, three hour adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament used to be held in during these particular times. After the member’s death a solemn mass used to be celebrated and 50 masses were said for the repose of the soul of the member who had just passed away.

The statue of the Holy Cross

     We have on records that the members of the Fraternity of Charity and later on also the members of the Fraternity of the Cross, were members of the ‘Sodalita’ ta’ l-Agunija’ (Solidarity with those in state of agony). In 1690, the Parish Priest Dun Frangisk de Pena, when he saw the close relations between these Fraternities ordered that they do their activities together. This was also brought about because the members of the Fraternity of Charity had been reduced in number and also in their enthusiasm for their cause.

A new scope for the Fraternity of Charity

     As time went by the Fraternity of Charity was entrusted with the spreading of the devotion towards the mysteries of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s a known fact that the titular painting of the altar in the church showed the dead body of Jesus Christ being lowered from the cross and put in the laps of Our Lady. In 1710, a great step forward was taken to reach this aim. From than onwards the Fraternity of Charity started to celebrate as its titular feast, the feast of the Discovery of Holy Cross, which is celebrated on the 3^rd of May.

     The climax in the organization ability of the Fraternity was reached when it started organising the procession of Holy Friday. From the archives one can deduct that the procession has been carried out at least since 1714. The way this document is worded up, one can safely conclude that is could have been going on for some years prior to this date. In all probability, this procession knows it birth when the Fraternity changed its ideal. Moreover, since the feast of the Holy Cross started in 1710, it is obvious that this procession knows its birth in the beginning of the 18^th century.

    No matter what, one can be assured that the procession of Holy Friday in Senglea is one of the oldest processions in the islands of Malta

A relic with a piece from the Cross