SENGLEA THROUGH THE AGES - 21 & 22
Senglea and the feast of Marija Bambina when war was declared
The preparations for the feast of 1939 were going on in full swing. The fireworks were ordered from the factory of St Philip of Zebbug. Various bands were invited to take part. Then once Great Britain declared war on Germany on the 3rd September 1939 the feast of Senglea was the first to be cancelled. On the 6th September the Archpriest Bonanno informed the Capitular Chapter that they could not lit up the church. Nobody was permitted to decorate roofs and balconies. The streets which were already decorated remained in the dark. The firework remained in the Zebbug factory.
The indoor service was held as usual, with less pomp but with great devotion. The procession was held and the rosary was recited along the way. As usual the Franciscan Friars took part. There were also some priests who wore the copes and all the other paraphernalia connected with the feast were used. As usual the statue was carried at the end of the procession. In the meantime Parish Priest Bonanno was appointed Monsignor and on the 3rd March 1940, during a Capitular Chapter meeting it was announced that Dun Manwel Brincat, then Archpriest of Zabbar was going to be appointed the new Archpriest of Senglea. He took his official status on the 13th April 1940 from the hands of Monsignor Manwel Galea, who was soon to be appointed Bishop. Harsh terrible days were on the horizon. On the 10th June 1940 Italy joined Germany in war against France and Great Britain. On the following day, very early in the morning, the Italians carried out their first air raid attack on Malta.
On the 11th June 1940 attendance in church was more than usual. Many went for confession, to hear Mass and receive Holy Communion. The droning of the Italian plans put a lot of fear into everybody present and all were in a panicking mood when they heard the terrible noise of the exploding bombs. Many glass panes of the church were shattered. Panic and confusion reigned among the congregation and everyone wanted to go home to see how the other members of their families were faring. The Archpriest Brincat and the Provost Arthur Bonnici administered general absolution to all present and encouraged them to trust their future in the hands of God and Our Lady
On the following day, the 12th June 1940, general exodus began from Senglea. The people carried all their essentials on trucks, cars, horse/donkey draw carts and even prams. The population of Senglea suddenly dwindled from 8,000 to about 350. The Archpriest Manwel Brincat, Dun Anton Galea, who was the last Provost of the Philippines and Dun Gwann-Karlu Burlo, who was military chaplain at Rissole, stayed behind to take care of the remaining community.
During the early bombardments there were hardly any shelters in Single. Two were dug in the hard rocks, one at the end of Single, aptly called the Point (il-Ponta) and one along the marina. The people who stayed behind could not find shops from where to buy their essentials. The shops were closed – the owners had either left or else had nothing to sell. Only two shops remained open. The collection boxes in the church were opened by the Archpriest and the contents distributed among the congregation, who were facing extreme poverty. But there was not much money in the boxes and no further collections could be made.
The remaining residents still attended Mass. More than before people were wearing a cross, holy medal or scapular. Parents were exhorting their children, especially the sailors and soldiers to make sure that they carry on them some blessed object. The Archpriest and some laymen took the initiative to prepare food for those in need. The Archpriest used to gather the food from outside Senglea and the laymen used to do the cooking. The first cook was Guzeppi Iles.
On the 19th August 1940 the Capitular Chapter of Senglea met at St Aloysius College in Birkirkara. They discussed what is going to be done for the coming feast. It was obvious that no outward celebrations could be held. By August 1940 many people of Senglea were misled into thinking that maybe the worse was over because a lot of shelters had been dug. Many, especially dockyard workers, returned to their homes in Senglea.
In 1940 the feast was not the joyous event like it used to be. The residents of Senglea were spread out all over the islands all afraid because of the incessant air attacks. The choir master Karlu Diacono was present but no musical instruments were used. Nine different priests said Mass, one on each day of the nine days preceding the feast. A sermon was also said during each Mass. The Theologian Canon Professor Dun Gwann Theuma said Mass on the 5th September 1940. He was soon to die buried beneath the war debris.
The precious statue of Marija Bambina was not put up in the church. Mr Grenville lent the Capitular Chapter a statue very similar to the original one. On the 7th September 1940 Senglea suffered one of its worse raids up to then. The school and many houses were destroyed. Others were severely damaged. The procession was not held. Notwithstanding all this the church ceremonies were all carried out as usual. The streets were not decorated; no fireworks or bands were booked and at night everywhere remained in complete darkness.
The feast of 1940 only brought sadness to those who were present in those days in Senglea. They could see so much destruction all around them and those houses which were not destroyed were all locked up and abandoned. The darkness emphasised the sad period Malta was going through.
Who would have told them then that the worse was still to come!
SENGLEA THROUGH THE AGES - 22
Mons. Salvatore Gaffiero: 1828-1906 – a Bishop from Senglea: Auxiliary to Archbishop Paul Pace
Salvu was born on the 8th March 1828. He was the son of Salvu Gaffiero and Kuncett nee Cachia. He was baptised on the following day at the Collegiate. By 1840, when he was only twelve, he was already a Canon of the Collegiate of Senglea. He was ordained as a priest in 1851. He was a hard working priest and very wise. For fourteen years he served the parish of Senglea. He was renowned as a preacher. Canon Salvatore Gaffiero joined the Oratorians of St Philip in Senglea and was their Provost on two occasions – 1855-1858 and 1862-1865. He also served as Parish Priest of Gharghur and Floriana. In 1875 he was appointed Monsignor of the Cathedral.
The Apostolic Administrator, Mons. Anton Buhagiar appointed Mons Gaffiero as Vicar in 1885. In 1886, Pope Leo XIII appointed him Prelate. Mons Gaffiero gave new life to the Community of the Onorati in Senglea and the Community appointed him as life Provost.
The Archbishop Pietru Pace, recommended to the Pope to appoint Mons. Gaffiero as Auxiliary Bishop of Malta. So in 1898 Mons Gaffiero was appointed Titular Bishop of Silimbrija. On the 15th January 1899 he was consecrated as Bishop at St John’s Co Cathedral. During the time he served as Bishop, Mons Gaffiero visited Senglea quite a lot and the people of Senglea were very proud of him. He came to Senglea many times to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation. He was also invited every year for the feast of Marija Bambina.
Bishop Gaffiero consecrated various altars of the Collegiate. In 1903 he visited Senglea on an official mission to continue the pastoral visit started by the Archbishop Pace who was taken ill. On the 22nd December 1901, he celebrated his Golden Jubilee as a priest. The Collegiate was full to the brim for the occasion and Archbishop Pace was among the congregation. He also ordained some priests in Senglea, among them Mons Capurro and the future Archpriest of Senglea Guzeppi Bonanno.
The Fraternity of the Holy Trinity is proud that Bishop Gaffiero was once a member of their fraternity. Bishop Gaffiero used to attend as many functions as he possibly could in Senglea and this made him a great favourite with the people of Senglea who also admired in him his great humility.
Bishop Gaffiero died on the feast of the Immaculate Conception in 1906. While he was on hisdying bed, three hours of prayers were being said on his behalf in Senglea’s church. The Parish of Senglea gave him a silver chalice when he celebrated his Golden Jubilee since his ordination. Bishop Gaffiero left this chalice in his will to the Collegiate of Senglea. After some time, in 1939, his pectoral cross was also donated to the Community of the Onorati who benefited a lot from his service during his time with them.
(This information was unedited material at the Archdiocese’s Curja and in Senglea and from study, which was never published, carried out by Winston L. Zammit.)