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A characteristic of the Maltese Islands is the pealing of bells. These are heard in old parts of towns and villages especially when one is passing by a major church. The visitor may wonder at the different peals and frequency of ringing.

The best two localities, famous for ringing bells, are Ħal Qormi (St George’s) and Birkirkara (St Helen’s). Their bells have kept the traditional rule of informing the faithful of events occurring in the locality.

The bells start the day very early. At around 4.30 am the ‘Pater Noster’ is rung with 33 strokes. 33 stands for the number of years Our Lord spent on earth. The other three main ringing times are at 8.00 am, midday and sunset. Many people associated these ringing times with a prayer called ‘Angelus’. The day ends with the ringing of the last bells an hour after the evening ‘Angelus’. This is referred to as ‘De Profundis’. In some localities, their bells ring again another hour after ‘De Profundis’ to remind the faithful that the first hour of the night had already passed.

The celebration of Mass has its particular pealing. Mass is announced by a few strokes of a bell fifteen minutes before it starts. This gives enough time for the faithful to leave home and gather in church. Another particular pealing occurs when a church is elevated to the dignity of a Collegiate. In this case the bells ring a two-toned peal for fifteen minutes to inform everyone that the members of the church’s Chapter will gather for matins and vespers.

In former days, the church bells used to peal to announce that someone in the parish was dying. This started by nine strokes which were followed by three strokes every hour until the passing bell was rung. The passing bell was followed by the death bell. These last two types of bells are still very common in old towns and villages. There was also a special bell peal called ‘Gloria’ when an infant died.

Feast days and sermons had their special pealing. On a festive season, before High Mass and vespers of the titular feast the church bells ring in four periods. When the feast is of secondary importance, the bells ring in three periods of ringing. When there is a special sermon the church bells ring a few minutes before it starts. 

Christmas traditions in Malta seem to be a combination of lay and semi-religious manifestations. The crib is one of the main semi-religious activities. Some folklore writers think that the first crib was introduced in Malta in 1617/18 by Blackfriars in their Rabat church. This crib was lit up on Christmas Eve with earthenware lamps burning inside paper lanterns.

Cribs were later introduced in state hospitals. Then the locals started producing their own for their homes. Maltese crib figures started to be made out of clay. Only the figure of the Infant Jesus and sheep were made out of wax. The Maltese created two types of cribs – small ones (know locally as ‘il-grotta’) and bigger ones. One of these crib makers was Maestro Saverio Laferla. His fame was widespread all over the islands, so much so that an eighteenth-century diarist entered the following comment for the 19 January 1761: ‘the death has occurred of Maestro Saverio Laferla, a barber, acclaimed for his skills in making cribs and statues of papier-mâché.’

In the 1870s we come across a large-scale mechanised crib at Ħal Qormi. It seems that this crib created such a sensation that 7 years later there was another one at Tas-Sliema. By the turn of the twentieth century the large-scale cribs became so popular with the Maltese that we find several references to them in the local press.

Nowadays we find cribs in many Maltese homes. Schools and other public institutions such as old people’s homes and hospitals also have their own crib. The crib’s popularity increased due to the activities of two crib clubs – one in Malta and another in Gozo. Both clubs organise a crib exhibition a few days before Christmas Day.

Clay crib figures have become popular again. We find two types of crib figures – the Maltese and Palestine types. The Maltese figures are dressed up in local costumes while the Palestine type wears biblical attire. The main figures of the Virgin and St Joseph as well as the three Magi (sometimes referred to as ‘kings’) are always dressed up in biblical style. Many Maltese open their crib to the public. Some of theses cribs are exhibited in garages and small chapels. The local press usually features some addresses to help both locals and tourists visit these cribs.

Floriana, Valletta’s suburb, is full of public gardens and memorials. The main memorials are assembled along the main route – Floriana’s St Anne Street – and before Valletta’s entrance area.

As you pass by Porte des Bombes on your right you will find the Dante Alighieri memorial. This was erected on the initiative of the Società Dante Alighieri. The monument is based on the winning design of Vincent Apap. It shows this Italian poet standing on rocks while in deep meditations. The pedestal is a rarity as it consists of 3 roughly cut boulders, symbolising Paradiso (paradise) Purgatorio (purgatory) and L’ Infermo (hell) the three ‘divisions’ of Dante Alighieri’s greatest literacy work – La Divina Comedia.

A few meters away along the same street, there is the Manoel de Vilhena Memorial. This monument was originally placed in the ‘Piazza d’Armi’ of Fort Manoel on Manoel Island. The monument was erected on the initiative of Fra Felician de Mont Savasse, a knight of the Order of St John. The figure was cast in bronze in the Order’s foundry by Aloisio Bouchut. The monument was relocated first in Valletta in ‘Piazza Tesoreria’ and later at the entrance of the Maglio Gardens. In 1989 it was relocated again to its present location in Pope John XXIII Square to make way for the Independence Monument.

At the end of St Anne Street there is the War Memorial. It was erected according to the design of Louis Naudi. This square-faced obelisk was constructed in Maltese lower globigerina limestone. At the bottom there are 4 commemorative plaques. The obelisk is a good example of British pre-war military and colonial art.

The Air Force Memorial is found at the left of the War Memorial. It consists of a column which is topped with a gilded eagle. At the bottom of this monument, there are circular plaques bearing the names of the fallen Air Forces heroes. It was designed by Charles Wheeler and Hubert Worthington. This monument is reminiscent of the pro-Anglican post war period. It is worthwhile to mention that every year wreath laying ceremonies takes places in front of these two memorials, in the presence of the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries.

Next to this monument there is the Christ the King Memorial. Designed by Antonio Sciortino to mark the beginning of the 20th century, the 1900 Holy Year dedicated to Christ the Redeemer and the Eucharistic Congress of 1913. This congress was held in Malta. The bronze works were cast in the Rome Buongirolami foundry. The central figure represents Christ in a moving pose while the other figure represents Malta, in a veneration act. In former times this monument was the starting point of pilgrimages which used to end at St John’s Co-Cathedral. 

In front of the Maglio Gardens’ entrance there is the Independence Memorial. It was erected in 1989 showing a female figure representing Malta being unwrapped from a big, long bandage.

Charles B. Spiteri

Lhudi li kien ‘meħtieġ ferm fil-gwerra tan-Nażi’ hu riferut bħala l-ikbar ħalliel fi żmien il-gwerra fl-Ewropa.

Michel Szkolnikoff innegozja bċejjeċ tal-arti u ġojjellerija misruqa minn Franza, u għamel fortuna għalih u għan-Nażisti.

Szkolnikoff ħarab mill-ġenoċidju u għamel fortuna li tiswa sitt biljun Frank Franċiż fl-1945 (491 miljun ewro) fil-flus tal-lum u miet misterjożament fi tmiem il-gwerra, għalkemm numru ta’ nies jemmnu li ħarab lejn l-Amerika t’Isfel.

Il-ġurnalist Franċiż u storiku Pierre Abramovici kiteb ktieb fuq Szolnikoff, fejn jispjega kif irnexxielu jaħrab id-destin li mess lil miljuni ta’ Lhud oħra u wettaq għalih innifsu ħajja ta’ lussu.

Abramovici qal: “In-Nażi ħtieġu l-ispeċjalisti; Lhud u mhumiex. Il-qagħda ta’ Szkolnikoff kienet komplessa. Hu tqies bħala Lhudi mill-Franċiżi u Arjan min-Nażi. Kien arrestat darbtejn mill-Franċiżi u kull darba meħlus min-Nażi.”

L-Ambaxxata Amerikana f’Madrid enfasizzat li Szkolnikoff kien ħalliel ewlieni tax-xogħlijiet tal-arti.

Rapport kunfidenzjali, datat Awwissu 1944 jgħid li Szkolnikoff seraq ukoll ġojjelli, deheb u ħaġar prezzjuż minn Franza “għan-nom tal-Gestapo.”

Szolnikoff twieled fl-1895 fir-Russja Tzarista, iżda ħarab wara r-rivoluzzjoni u sar ċittadin Ġermaniż, qabel ma mar fi Franza fls-snin tletin.

Biex jaħbi l-oriġini Lhud tiegħu, l-ewwel ma għamel bidel ismu għal Michel u beda jinnegozja fit-tessuti, li kien ibigħ fi ħwienet kbar f’Pariġi.

Kien għadu jiġġieled mal-ħajja hekk kif faqqgħet il-gwerra, iżda ma damx ma għamel il-fortuna tiegħu bil-ħjata tal-uniformijiet militari għall-Armata Ġermaniża, in-Navy u wkoll l-SS.

Abramovici jikteb: “Kien raġel fqir qabel il-gwerra, iżda mbaħad iltaqa’ mas-sieħba tiegħu, mara Ġermaniża bl-isem ta’ Helene Samson, li introduċietu lill-membri tan-Navy Ġermaniża u lill-SS.

“Dan ir-raġel, neguzjant tat-tessuti ma kellux reliġjon, ideali politiċi u morali. Ried biss jagħmel il-flus u fi tliet snin sar l-iktar raġel sinjur fi Franza.

“Eventwalment, kellu parti ewlenija mil-lukandi lussużi fi Franza u f’Monaco u tużżani ta’ bini jiswa l-flus fiċ-ċentru ta’ Pariġi, madwar Champs Elysées, kastell u proprjetajiet oħra.”

Wara l-mewt ta’ Hilter u ċ-ċediment tal-Ġermaniżi f’Mejju 1945, in-Nażi prominenti ħarbu u dawk li kkollaboraw magħhom fi Franza, bdew ikunu mfittxija.

Szolnikoff ħarab lejn Spanja, immexxija mid-dittatur faxxist Franco, iżda milli jidher miet barra Madrid f’ Ġunju tal-1945.

Il-katavru tiegħu ntrema fil-kampanja u sar attentat biex jinstab u jinħaraq. Il-fehma ta’ Abramovici hi li grupp ta’ Franċiżi kkaċċjawh u qatluh kiesaħ u biered.

Iżda hemm min isostni li l-mewt ta’ Szkolnikoff kienet gidba, u li jista’ jkun ħarab lejn l-Arġentina fejn aktarx kellu kont bankarju.

Meta ntemmet il-gwerra kien hemm battalja legali kbira fuq il-wirt li kellu Szkolnikoff. Din damet sejra s-snin.

Darba waħda, Donna u n-nannu reġgħu spiċċaw waħidhom id-dar. In-nannu qagħad jara t-televixin sakemm sar il-ħin għall-ikel. Donna filli kienet ħdejh u filli għebet. Tgħid x’kienet qiegħda tpaspar minn wara dahru!

In-nannu kienet għoddha marret għajnu bih meta f’daqqa u l-ħin lemaħha mill-ġdid maġenbu fil-kċina. Staqsieha fejn kienet u hi weġbitu li marret tilgħab ftit mal-qattus. In-nannu ried ikun jaf fejn kien il-qattus u t-tifla ħarrfitlu li kienet ħarġitu fil-bitħa interna qabel marret lura fil-kċina. In-nannu bħal donnu emminha u ma kellimha xejn.

Hekk kif Donna poġġiet fuq is-sufan, riedet taqleb l-istazzjon biex tara l-programm favorit tagħha. In-nannu kkuntentieha ħalli xejn xejn ikollha fiex tedha u tħallih kwiet. It-tifla qattgħet l-isbaħ siegħa b’għajnejha mwaħħlin mat-televixin. Sadanittant, in-nannu ħa nagħsa.

F’salt wieħed, beda jinstema’ d-daqq tal-pjanu li beda jdamdam kullimkien. Fis-salott suppost ma kien hemm ħadd, imma l-pjanu żgur li ma kienx idoqq waħdu. In-nannu qam maħsud u serraħ rasu xħin sab lil Donna għadha bilqiegħda ħdejh, għax għall-mument kien ħaseb li marret iddoqq il-pjanu waqt li kien rieqed.

Iżda Donna qisha kienet taf min kien qiegħed idoqq dawk in-noti bil-goff. Bdiet tidħak kemm kellha saħħa u tgħid lin-nannu li fis-salott kien hemm fatat idoqq il-pjanu. In-nannu ma felaħx jissaporti iżjed. “X’fatat hu? Ta’ zitek?” weġibha, filwaqt li ta ġirja lejn is-salott biex jara x’kien ġara.

In-nannu stagħġeb mhux ftit b’dak li ra quddiem għajnejh malli daħal fis-salott. Sab lill-qattus miexi fuq il-pjanu. Tatu rasu u mar ineħħih minn hemm. Dlonk intebaħ li din kienet xi praspura oħra minn ta’ Donna. Ma kienx ħaseb ħażin, tafux.

Donna kienet tellgħet lill-qattus fuq il-pjanu biex joqgħod jimxi fuqu u jdoqqu. Għamlet hekk meta llargat minn fejn in-nannu aktar kmieni, għax qatt ma kien iħalliha mqar tmissu ma jmurx tiskordah. Tal-inqas issa setgħet tisimgħu jdoqq xorta waħda bis-saħħa tal-qattus.

In-nannu ma tantx kellu aptit id-daħk. Il-pjanu kien ġralu l-ħsara u kellu jonfoq il-flus bla ħsieb biex jirranġah. Imma lil Donna kienet għoġbitha din il-biċċa tal-qattus jimxi fuq il-pjanu u tgħidx kemm kienet tidħak bil-qalb meta tiftakar fiha. Minn dakinhar `l hemm, in-nannu ħadha drawwa jsus wara Donna kull darba li jinzertaw waħidhom id-dar ħalli ma tazzardax tagħmel xi straġi oħra.

Nisa u rġiel nofshom għarwenin ħarġu fit-toroq u tefgħu fuqhom likwidu, taparsi demm, biex jipprotestaw kontra l-ġiri tal-barrin waqt il-festival ta’ Spanja.

L-Awstraljana Hannah Rose Bailey, kienet waħda mill-75 attivist favur id-drittijiet tal-annimali li pprotestat barra l-pjazza ewlenija f’Pamplona, ftit qabel ma fil-belt Spanjola ta’ San Fermin beda l-festival.

Din ix-xebba ta’ 22 sena kienet liebsa biss il-qalziet ta’ taħt u f’rasha qrun ta’ barri. Hi bdiet titfa’ fuqha t-taparsi demm bħala parti mid-dimostrazzjoni organizzata minn AnimaNaturalis u l-PETA.

Kien magħruf li madwar miljun persuna minn madwar id-dinja marru jsegwu dan il-festival ta’ ġimgħa, fejn ta’ kuljum il-barrin ħarġu fit-toroq jiġru wara n-nies.

Imbagħad filgħaxija kien hemm il-ġlied tat-toru.

Hannah sostniet li “it-tortura u l-qtil tal-annimali ma jista’ qatt ikun ġustifikat bħala varjetà.”Hu magħruf li kull sena jinqatlu 54 barri waqt dan il-festival.

Għodwa waħda, in-nanna ta’ Donna marret tagħmel qadja importanti. Donna baqgħet id-dar man-nannu. Kif kienu waħidhom ghall-kwiet, in-nannu poġġa maġenbha fuq is-sufan, u qagħad jaqralha storja dwar il-prinċipessa s-sabiħa ta’ xagħarha twil u dehbi li kienet tħobb tiżbogħ xufftejha bl-irtokk aħmar ghall-ballijiet. Donna ħadet interess liema bħalu f’din l-istorja għax bdiet tistħajjilha l-prinċipessa billi hi wkoll kellha xagħarha kemmxejn safrani. In-nannu tgħidx kemm ħa gost biha meta raha daqshekk kwieta dakinhar. Ħaseb li forsi sa fl-aħħar kienet qed trabbi l-għaqal. Kemm kien sejjer żball!

Ħin minnhom, in-nannu kellu bżonn jillarga ftit biex imur sal-kamra tal-banju. Wissa lil Donna biex ma tqumx minn fuq is-sufan sakemm ma jkunx hemm hu. Xi kwarta wara, mar lura ħdejha, u hi qaltlu bi tbissima: “Ħellow, nannu.” Iżda xħin in-nannu ħares lejha biex ikellimha, baqa’ skantat. Donna kellha xufftejha miksijin b’xi ħaġa ħamra mill-ewwel ‘l hawn. In-nannu ma setax jifhem x’kien ġralha. Qabad iħokk rasu għax beda jinkwieta bis-serjeta’. Beża’ li setgħet qasmet xufftejha b’oġġett li jaqta’, u ħarġilha ħafna demm.

Kif ratu abjad karti bl-inkwiet, Donna infaqgħet tidħak f’wiċċu għax indunat li kien qiegħed jaħseb ħażin għalxejn. Meta staqsieha għalfejn kellha xufftejha ħomor nar, hija qaltlu li malli ratu dieħel fil-kamra tal-banju, marret tfittex l-istoċċ tal-“lipstick” tan-nanna fil-kexxun tal-komodina, u hekk kif ġie f’idejha dellket ftit “lipstick” ma’ xufftejha bħalma kienet tagħmel il-prinċipessa tal-istorja tan-nannu.

 Xħin sema’ x’kienet għamlet, in-nannu rrabja maghħa għax ma kinitx semgħet minnu, u qabbadha timsaħ xufftejha minnufih għax kienet aktar saret tixbah lill-buffu inkella lill-prinċipessa tal-istorja. Donna kellha tobdih għax beżgħet li jagħtiha xi kastig jekk ittellagħhomlu aktar.

Meta n-nanna waslet id-dar, in-nannu kellu jgħidilha b’kollox xħin sabet il-marki tal-“lipstick” fuq il-komodina. In-nanna mbagħad daħlet fil-kamra ta’ Donna ħalli turiha li kienet taf li marret tgerfxilha fil-kexxun tagħha. Iżda meta ħasset lin-nanna dieħla fejnha, Donna għalqet għajnejha, u għamlet tabirruħha li kienet rieqda ma jmurx ifettlilha tagħmel għaliha. Lil Donna kien jilħqilha moħħha iżjed milli kienet taħseb in-nanna. Mur għidilha kemm daħket waħidha xħin lemħitha ħierġa minn kamritha minn taħt il-għajn meta ħasbet li tassew kienet rieqda fil-fond!

SKEMA TA’ GĦAJNUNA LIL-LIBRERIJA TAL-ISKOLA TIEGĦEK

Din l-iskema maħsuba biex il-libreriji tal-iskejjel jew tal-klassijiet ikomplu jistagħnew b’għadd ta’ kotba kemm bil-Malti kif ukoll bl-Ingliż għall-istudenti li jħaddnu. BDL qed tħaddem din l-iskema b’għażla kbira ta’ kotba u logħob kemm għall-iskejjel tal-Primarja kif ukoll għal dawk tas-Sekondarja.

Benefiċċji tal-iskema

• Għal kull ktieb jew logħba li l-istudenti jixtru f’din l-iskema, il-kumpanija BDL tagħti lura lill-iskola madwar nofs l-ammont tal-valur tal-ktieb f’forma ta’ voucher biex permezz tiegħu l-iskola tkun tista’ tixtri kotba li jkomplu jagħnu l-libreriji fl-iskejjel.
• Kull student li jixtri xi ktieb jew logħba f’din l-iskema jingħata voucher ta’ 25% fil-mija biex jixtri kotba għalih innifsu għal-librerija personali tiegħu.

Xi rrid nagħmel biex inħaddem l-iskema fl-iskola tiegħi?

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Kif taħdem l-iskema?

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2. Dawn il-fuljetti jitqassmu lill-istudenti.
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4. L-iskola tgħaddi l-ordni bit-total tal-kotba lil BDL.
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7. L-istudenti jingħataw voucher ta’ 25% mal-ktieb jew logħba li jordnaw li jista’ jissarraf mill-ħanut ta’ BDL, f’San Ġwann.

Eżempji

Jekk l-istudenti jordnaw 100 Dizzjunarju bil-Malti għat-Tfal, li jiswa €14.95, BDL jagħti lura lill-iskola voucher ta’ €800 biex tixtri kotba għal-libreriji tagħha kif ukoll 100 voucher ta’ 25% skont biex jitqassmu lill-istudenti mad-dizzjunarju li jkunu ordnaw.

Kampjuni tal-fuljetti

L-Ewwel Snin tal-Primarja

L-Aħħar Snin tal-Primarja