SENGLEA THROUGH THE AGES - 11 & 12

 The setting up of the Fraternity of St Dimitrius in 1808

       The Fraternity of St Dimitrius was set up in Senglea in 1808. St Dimitrius is a martyr renowned in Greece but hardly known locally. St Dimitrius was the patron said of the people who used to do maintenance work on the wooden galleys. They showed the desire to set up a Fraternity in his honour.

       During his time as Archpriest, Dun Salv Bonnici started to form up the regulations for the Fraternities. The Fraternity of St Dimitrius was set up during the time of Dun Vincenz Cachia (the first, because there was another Dun Vincenz Cachia who was archpriest between the years 1986-2002). There was no altar dedicated to St Dimitrius in the Collegiate, so a small picture was put up on the altar of St Catherine side by side with another picture of St Aloysius Consaga. St Catherine and St Dimitrius were considered as co-patrons of the Fraternity. The feast of St Dimitrius used to be held on the fourth Sunday of October and used to include a procession. For the feast of St Catherine no procession was held.

       Since the beginning of the Fraternity there was always the idea to have a large painting of St Dimitrius but the idea was put on hold for some time. Later on consensus was reached that in the painting they should include both St Dimitrius and St Catherine and also Our Lady holding Baby Jesus. Once agreement was reached Guzeppi Cali was commissioned and this was going to be one of his earliest paintings. The painting showed St Dimitrius on the point of suffering his martyrdom. It seems that for some period of time this painting replaced the one of St Catherine on the altar because the latter was put up on the door of the Oratory of the Sacrament in 1866. Naturally St Catherine was also included in the painting by Cali.

       The members of the Fraternity of St Dimitrius used to dress up in white garb, white strap and a large rosary bean attached to the strap. The cope was made of red silk with small white buttons. On the left hand side of the cope there was the letters P and X interwinged together and which are know as the initials of a martyr. The Fraternity standard was red with while borders. The letters P, X where also intricated on the standard.

       To be a member of the Fraternity one had to be versed in the teachings of the Church. People of ill repute or trouble makers were not accepted as members of the Fraternity. Naturally those who had problems with the law court were not accepted either. If some member of the Fraternity fell foul of the law he had to resign and leave.

 SENGLEA THROUGH THE AGES - 12

                              The processions and visits to the Holy Sepulchre on Maundy Thursday

       Since days gone by Maundy Thursday had always been considered a special day in Senglea. After Mass (then it was held in the morning) the Blessed Sacrament was put in a capsule and exposed for the adoration of the faithful. This tradition has been kept, though Mass is now celebrated in the evening.

       It has also been a long standing tradition to hold visits to the Holy Sepulchre after mass. We always believe that the capsule holding the Blessed Sacrament is not considered as the ‘grave’ of Jesus Christ. In olden days collection for the benefit of the sanctuaries in the Holy Land used to be held during these Holy days. In front of the altar of the Sepulchre there used to be an inscription in Italian ‘Per il Santo Sepulcro’ meaning ‘for the grave of Jesus Christ’. This inscription led to the people started calling this altar the ‘altar of the sepulchre’.

       In the beginning of the 19th century, the procession with the statues representing the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ used to be held on Maundy Thursday in the afternoon. The statues were known as the ‘statues of the Mysteries of our Redemption’. As time went by the number of statues were increased and the procession started to be held on Good Friday.

       An important document of the year 1710 gives us a good idea of how the visits on Maundy Thursday were held in Senglea in those days. The following excerpt is taken from the archives of the Fraternity of the Blessed Sacrament. These archives are kept in the collection of registers of the Collegiate of Senglea.

    Quote: n.162:  

          On Maundy Thursday the Church commemorates the setting up by Jesus Christ of the       

Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. The Church dedicates these days to commemorate the Passion and Death of Our Lord.

         The members of the Fraternity are obliged to take part in a procession which comes out of the 

               Oratory. They are expected to take part with all humility and holding in their hands the

               Rosary beans.

        They do not carry the torch but follow the instructions given by their Rector so that they can      

               start the visits to the altars of the Holy Sepulchre.

        The member who usually carries the standard today carries a simple wooden cross and he is

               flanked by two members of the Fraternity bearing torches. The other members of the

               Fraternity follow in an orderly manner.

        On the way the members of the Fraternity recite the rosary and mediate on the sorrowful

               mysteries of Our Blessed Lady.

         In every church they enter, they used to knee down and with great devotion adore the Blessed

               Sacrament. They used to stay kneeling down until the Rector made the signal for them to

               rise again.’