Chapter 10
The inscriptions and symbols
The principal aim why the procession of Good Friday was set up was so that people could meditate better on the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This principle is still valid even today.
We have mentioned many times the inscriptions and symbols carried by children during the procession. We said that there are two kinds of inscriptions, namely those engraved in each side of each dais and those carried by the children during the procession. To these we can also add the seven phrases Jesus Christ said while on the cross and the seven daggers representing the seven sorrows of Our Lady. These symbols (misteri) are carried in twos in front of each statue. This layout has been going on since 1983. Previously we only had ten symbols and they all used to be carried in front of the entombment.
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Item 1/4 |
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Item 6 |
Item 7 |
Item 5 |
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Item 8/9 |
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The following is a complete list of the inscriptions and symbols as they come out with each statue. The first 4 numbers after the title of the statue represent the four sides of each dais. Item 5 is the excerpt taken from the writings of a Father of the Church pertaining to that particular statue. Item 6 are extracts from the Old Testament and item 7 extracts from the New Testament. Items 8 and 9 give brief description of the symbols carried before each statue.
Jesus in the Garden – l-Ort
1. And there appeared to him an angel from heaven to strengthen him. Luke 22, 43
2. Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from you. Matt. 26, 39
3. God, my benefactor. May he send from heaven and save me Psalm 57, 3
4. The cup salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the Lord Psalm 116, 13
5. We go towards Him, He who is going for his Passion St Andrew of Crete
6. Blessed be the Lord for he has heard the sound of my pleading Psalm 28, 6
7. Offered up prayers and supplications to him who was able to save him from death Hebrews 5, 7
8. A tray with a chalice, cords and the pouch of Judas Iscariot
9. A tray with a lantern, sword with an ear stuck to it and a staff
The scrounging of Jesus – il-Kolonna
1. Christ also has suffered for you, leaving you an example 1 Peter 2, 21
2. Then they spat in his face and buffeted him Matt 26, 67
3. I have given my body to the strikers Isaias 50, 6
4. He was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins Isaias 53, 5
5. Blood was shed for our salvation St Clement I
6. He was offered because it was hit own will, and he opened not his mouth Isaias 53, 7
7. Who, when he was reviled, did not revile, when he suffered, did not threaten 1 Peter 2, 23
8. A tray with a small pillar and tools used for the flagellation
9. A cock on a long stick
Jesus crowned with thorns – il-Porpra
1. Despised, whereupon we esteemed him not Isaias 53, 3
2. Hail, King of the Jews John 19, 3
3. Who, when he was reviled, did not revile 1 Peter 2, 23
4. In return for my love they slandered me Psalms 109, 4
5. He rejoice because he portrayed himself gentle St Andrew of Crete
6. There is no beauty in him, nor comeliness Isaias 53, 2
7. My kingdom is not of this world John 18, 36
8. A red cope, a crown made of thorns and a stick
9. A tray with a glove and sticks used for flagellations
Jesus the Redeemer – ir-Redentur
1. Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows Isaias 53, 4
2. You were redeemed not with perishable things, but with the precious blood Christ 1 Peter, 1, 18, 19
3. He atoned for our sins and for all the sins of the world John 2, 2
4. He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even to death on a cross Philippians 2, 7-8
5. He burdened himself with out sins Melitone of Sardi
6. Yet when I stumbled they were glad and gathered together Psalms 35, 15
7. And he who does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me Matthew 10, 38
8. A small wooden cross
9. A tray with a pitcher and towel
Veronica – il-Veronika
1. You my glance seeks; hide not your face from me Psalm 27, 8-9
2. If your face shines upon us, then we shall be safe Psalm 80, 20
3. We now see through a mirror in an obscure manner, but then face to face 1 Corinthians 13, 12
4. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the just 1 Peter 3, 12
5. Christ belongs wholly to us all San Leo the Great
6. You my glance seeks; hide not your face from me Psalm 27, 8-9
7. By sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh Romans 8, 3
8. A tray with the symbol of the Roman Empire
9. A white veil with the face of Christ stamped on it
The Crucifixion – il-Vara l-Kbira
1. They have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones Psalm 27, 8-9
2. He hath delivered his soul unto death and was reputed with the wicked Isaias 53, 14
3. I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself John 12, 32
4. Endured a cross, despising shame Romans 12, 2
5. God died for the benefit of men St Augustine
6. They have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones Psalm 27, 8-9
7. I lay down my life that I may take it up again John 10, 17
8. The clothes of Christ and dies
9. A ladder, spear and a pole with a sponge at the end
The Entombment – il-Monument
1. Because he is cut off out of the land of the living:
for the wickedness of my people have I struck him Isaias 53, 8
2. For the death that he died, he died to sin once for all,
but the life that he lives; he lives unto God Romans 6, 10
5. We resemble him in our burial with him St Basil the Great
6. Because he is cut off out of the land of the living Isaias 53, 8
7. For the death that he died, he died to sin once for all Romans 6, 10
8. A while sheet with the crown of thorns
9. A tray with the bowl for the oils
(With this statue there are only two inscriptions)
Our Lady of Sorrows – id-Duluri
1. To what shall I equal thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Sion? Lamentations 2, 13
2. Their heart cried to the Lord upon the walls of the daughter of Sion Lamentations 2, 18
3. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce Luke 2, 35
4. Now there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother John 19, 25
5. We proclaim you more than a martyr St Bernard
6. To what shall I equal thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Sion? Lamentations 2, 13
7. And they own soul a sword shall piece Luke 2, 35
8. A tray with a hammer, a pincer and nails
9. A tray with the scroll on the which the letters I.N.R.I. are written
There are also inscriptions with the seven phrases Jesus said while on the Cross and the description of the seven sorrows of Our Lady.
The seven phrases –( is-Seba’ Kelmiet )
- My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
- Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
- Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.
- Woman, behold, thy son; behold thy mother
- I thirst
- It is consummated
- Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit
The seven sorrows –( is-seba’ duluri )
- Mary presenting Jesus in the Temple
- Mary fleeing with Jesus to Egypt
- Mary when she lost Jesus in Jerusalem
- Mary kept apart from Jesus when he was on his way to the Golgotha
- Mary assists Jesus during his death
- Mary cuddles the body of the death Christ in her lap
- Mary accompanies Jesus to his grave
Inscriptions in the church
Apart from these inscriptions which are carried during the procession of Good Friday, during the period of Good Friday and Easter, on top of the arches of the central passage of the middle of the church we find another eight large decorative inscriptions. They have words of praise and some teachings about the great feast of Easter.
- Rejoice and be happy the lamb is with us
- Everything falls under one head, Jesus
- With your blood you won the people over to God
- He chose us for Himself since eternity
- The slaughtered lamb, strength, knowledge and strength
- He destined us to become his adoptive children
- We thank God, how was for ever
- In Him we have been redeemed, we found forgiveness for our sins
All these biblical and liturgical texts were chosen by the Canon Fr Anton Gouder.