|
This chapter is dedicated to the churches and chapels of Malta and Gozo.
These islands are swarmed with little wayside chapels. Some have since become surrounded by buildings over the years and now form part of village centres.
Aside from these romantic Maltese chapels, village churches are also worth a visit as they provide us with a dose of history and exhibit some notable visual art. Some of our churches house works by local and foreign masters.
Gudja: Wayside Chapel
Għargħur: Santa Marija taż-Żellieqa
Tas-Silġ, between Żejtun
and Marsaxlokk
|
.
|
Ħdejn Knisja Mwarrba
Siekta, waħdek, omm minsija,
Wens il-waħx ta’ dawn l-għoljiet,
Fqira, mneżżgħa, titfa’ ħarstek
Fuq il-wied taż-żmenijiet.
Bieb immermer, twieqi mġarrfa,
Kampnar ċkejken bla qanpiena,
Wieqfa biss għax Alla jridek,
Qisek armla titlob ħniena.
Madankollu, fuq ix-xagħri,
Bejn il-blat, fuq il-ħaxix
Hemm eluf t’għajnejn jitbissmu,
Minn kull lewn, kollhom tgħammix.
Bħal ħuġġieġa l-ħajja tixgħel
Fost iż-żnuber ta’ madwarek,
Kesa l-lewża bil-blanzuni
Frar, li fawwar ħoġor bjarek.
Fuq is-siġar, qisu ħolma,
Qalbu bl-għana dalwaqt tfur,
Jitla’, jinżel jew jinħeba
Mimli hena w ġid, l-għasfur,
Waqt li, qisha kor tas-sema
Li tixtieq tgħannilek miegħi,
Tgħaddi, tgħib u terġa’ ssejjaħ
Żiffa ħelwa qalb il-friegħi.
Jgħanni l-bidwi ġewwa l-għolja
Fuq ir-raded tal-moħriet.
Kollox ħaj. Int biss imbikkma
Fuq il-wied taż-żmenijiet.
Int m’intix ta’ din id-dinja;
Ward u siġar u bnedmin
Rajt bil-gzuz jiġu u jmorru,
Jidhru u jgħibu f’damm is-snin.
Ġew u marru. Int bqajt dejjem
Wieqfa, ssaltan fuq is-skiet.
Int m’intix ta’ din id-dinja:
Ma jaħkmukx iż-żmenijiet.
Ġorġ Zammit (1908 – 1990)
Poet, lawyer and teacher, he composed his verse in Maltese, English and Italian. He was a
great lover of Malta’s traditional and natural environment.
|
.
|
This poem tells of a typical countryside chapel, but one which had fallen into disuse. With its weather
beaten door and broken window, our humble chapel overlooked the vale of time itself -- where people and
creatures came and went, over the years, but the little building remained little changed; as if it did
not belong to this world.
The poet recites his praise to the chapel as well as its natural environment, which
is increasingly being threatened as 'development' takes place.
Bir Miftuħ, one of Malta's oldest.
Lija: Baroque Chapel off Trasfig. Sq.
|
