Hsieb Spiritwali ghall-Gimgha Mqaddsa 2009:

Spiritual thought for  Holy Week 2009: 

Biex taqra hsieb spiritwali kollu miktub minn Mons. Alexander Cordina: Aghfas hawn. To read the whole spiritual thought written by Mgr. Alexander Cordina: Click Here.

 

Il-Gimgha l-Kbira fil-Mosta.

 

Kitba ta' Joseph Borg.

 

Ta' kull sena, il-Parrocca tal-Mosta tfakkar bil-kbir il-Passjoni u l-Mewt kif ukoll il-Qawmien mill-mewt ta' Sidna Gesu` Kristu.  Dawn it-tifkirijiet jizvolgu tul il-Gimgha Mqaddsa.

Ic-centru ta' dawn il-manifestazzjonijiet u l-funzjonijiet liturgici ikunu fil-knisja Arcipretali ta' l-Assunta, maghrufa aktar fostna bhala r-Rotunda tal-Mosta, knisja wisq imsemmija ghall-kobor u l-gmiel taghha.

 

 

Il-Pellegrinagg bl-Istatwa tar-Redentur.

Biex tikber izjed id-devozzjoni lejn Gesu` Redentur lejn tmien il-Parrokat ta' l-Arcipriet Dun Bartilmew Bezzina, illum Monsinjur, kienet saret gewwa s-sagristija, nicca ghall-istatwa devota u artistika ta' Gesu` mghobbi bis-salib.

Ta' kull sena imbghad, fir-raba` Gimgha tar-Randan, beda jsir pellegrinagg bix-xbiha tar-Redentur li matulu ssir il-Via Sagra li ghalija jkun hemm hafna nies.  Din id-drawwa dahhalha l-Arcipriet Dun Joe Carabott, illum Monsinjur.  Dan il-pellegrinagg kien hareg ghall-ewwel darba mill-knisja Arcipretali nhar il-Gimgha 15 ta' Marzu 1985.

 

Il-Purcissjoni bl-istatwa ta' Marija Addolorata.

Il-Gimgha ta' qabel il-Gimgha l-Kbira huwa jum li fih nistghu nghidu li l-poplu kollu tal-Gzejjer Taghna juri mhabbtu lejn Marija Addolorata. 

Ghalkemm dan il-jum ma tkunx il-festa liturgika ta' l-Addolorata, pero` xorta wahda eluf kbar ta' nies jiehdu sehem fil-purcissjonijiet bl-istatwa tad-Duluri li jsiru tista' tghid fil-Parrocci kollha ta' Pajjizna.

Fil-Parrocca tal-Mosta, id-devozzjoni lejn l-Addolorata ilha stabbilita ghal dawn l-ahhar 100 sena u izjed ukoll u l-bidu taghha jmur hafna izjed lura sa fis-seklu Tmintax.

Pero` il-purcissjoni bl-istatwa tad-Duluri b'San Gwann maghha ilha ssir biss ghal madwar dawn l-ahhar erbghin sena.  Kienet bidet issir fil-bidu tal-Parrokat ta' l-Arcipriet Dun Bartilmew Bezzina u sa mill-bidu bidet tigbed hlejjaq kbar ta' nies.  Matul din il-purcissjoni devota jinghad ir-Ruzarju u jitkantaw innijiet Marjani.

 

 

Il-Gimgha Mqaddsa - Hadd il-Palm.

Hadd il-Palm filghodu tiftah il-Gimgha Mqaddsa.  B'tifkira tad-dhul trijonafali ta' Gesu` f'Gerusalemm, issir it-tberik sollenni tal-palm u tal-frieghi taz-zebbug fuq iz-zuntier ta' l-Oratorju Qalb ta' Gesu`.  Wara t-tberik tibda purcissjoni liturgika lejn il-Knisja.  Tkun dejjem immexxija mill-Arcipriet b'hafna nies jiehdu sehem fiha jzommu f'idejhom palm u frieghi taz-zebbug.  Hekk kif il-purcissjoni tasal il-knisja tibda l-Quddiesa sollenni bl-ahmar li fiha jinqara r-rakkont tal-Passjoni ta' Sidna Gesu` Kristu.

 

Wirjiet ta' settijiet ta' Vari tal-Passjoni.

Matul il-Gimgha Mqaddsa jifthu wirjiet ta' settijiet ta' vari tal-Passjoni f'diversi centri tal-Parrocca.  Xi individwi wkoll ikollhom ghall-wiri settijiet ta' vari sbieh, xoghol mill-aqwa ta' diversi artisti lokali.  Naghmlu tajjeb li nkomplu nghozzu din it-tradizzjoni li ghaddewlna missirijietna.

 

Hamis ix-Xirka.

It-tlett ijiem Imqaddsa tal-Ghid jibdew bil-quddiesa ta' filghaxija li fiha ssir it-tifkira Sollenni ta' l-ikla tal-Mulej.  Wara l-omelija jsir il-hasil tar-riglejn ta' tnax-il ragel maghzulin minn fost il-komunita Parrokkjali.

Kif tispicca l-quddiesa ssir it-transulazzjoni jew it-trasport tas-sagrament Imqaddes fl-Artal tar-Repozizzjoni jew kif nafuh ahna s-Sepurklu.  Is-sagrament jitpogga fil-kapsola tal-fidda armata fuq l-artal imzejjen kif jixraq f'din l-okkazjoni hekk ghaziza.  Jitnezzghu imbaghad l-artali u dritt tibda l-adorazzjoni tas-Sagrament Imqaddes fis-Sepurklu.  Jibdew fi kliem iehor dawk li ahna nafuhom bhala l-visti tas-Sepurklu; visti li huma tant gheziez u ghal qalb il-poplu taghna.

 

L-Adorazzjoni Sollenni tas-Salib Imqaddes.

Matul il-funzjoni liturgika ta' nhar il-Gimgha l-kbira ssir l-Adorazzjoni tas-Salib.  Wara t-talbiet sollenni tal-fidili, l-Arcipriet wieqaf quddiem l-artal jircievi f'idejh is-salib u wara jimxi processjonalment bih mis-Sagristija sa hdejn il-bieb il-kbir tal-Knisja.  L-Arcipriet jaghmel tliet waqfiet, wahda hdejn il-bieb il-kbir, ohra fin-nofs tal-knisja u ohra fuq l-artal maggur.  Kull darba c-celebrant jintona l-kant tas-sejha "Araw il-ghuda tas-Salib" u kull darba l-kor iwiegeb "Ejjew nadurawh".  Wara dan, kleru u poplu kulhadd jersaq lejn tarf it-tarag tal-presbiterju sabiex ibus Gesu` Kurcifiss.

 

 

 

Il-Funzjoni ta' Sibt il-Ghid.

Nistghu nghidu li l-Liturgija tal-Vgili ta' l-Ghid li ssir nhar Sibt il-Ghid filghaxija tard hija l-qofol tal-funzjonijiet kollha ta' matul il-Gimgha Mqaddsa.  F'dan il-lejl qaddis il-knisja tfakkar il-Qawmien tal-Mulej mill-Imwiet li hi l-ikbar festa liturgika ta' matul is-sena.

Fil-ewwel taqsima tal-Vgili jkun hemm it-tberik tan-nar il-gdid u ssir mixeghla tad-dwal.  Fit-tieni taqsima ssir il-liturgija tal-Kelma.  Fit-tielet taqsima jsiru l-Maghmudijiet tat-trabi, l-ulied godda tal-Knisja.

Fir-raba` taqsima ssir l-liturgija Ewkaristika li fiha titkanta l-Glorja, jindaqq l-Orgni mill-gdid, jdoqqu ferhana l-qniepen u timxteghel il-knisja b'tifkira tal-Qawmien mill-mewt ta' Sidna Gesu` Kristu.

 

Il-Purcissjoni ta' Kristu Rxoxt.

Il-festa ta' l-Ghid il-Kbir taghlaq b' "pageant" bl-istatwa ta' Kristu Rxoxt.  Dan issir nhar Hadd il-Ghid fil-ghaxija.  Il-"pageant" jibda bl-iskawts.  Tohrog imbaghad il-bandiera u warajha jimxu tfal bniet u subien libsin iz-zimarri u jzommu palm u kartelli li jfakkru fil-Qawmien ta' Kristu mill-Mewt.  Jiehdu sehem ukoll il-kbar libsin ta' suldati Rumani u Lhud.  Tohrog imbaghad l-istatwa ta' Kristu Rxoxt li tkun akkumpanjata bil-Banda Nicolo` Isouard.  Mat-triq tal-purcissjoni ssiru diversi girjiet bl-istatwa ta' Kristu Rxoxt; kif ukoll qabel ma l-istatwa terga' tidhol fil-knisja Arcipretali ssir il-girja tradizzjonali.

L-istatwa ta' Kristu Rxoxt hija xoghol ta' l-istatwarju Glormu Dingli u kienet saret fl-1976, bi flus migbura minn fost in-nies tal-Mosta. 

 

 

 

Good Friday in Mosta

 

by Joseph Borg

Translated by Kevin Muscat

 

Every year, the Parish of Mosta commemorates the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact these commemorations reach their peak during Holy Week.

The heart of the manifestations and liturgical functions is the Archpresbiteral Church of the Assumption, more known as the Mosta Rotunda, a church famous for its size and beauty.

  

 

The Pilgrimage of the Redeemer.

To strengthen the devotion towards the Redeemer (represented by the statue of Christ carrying the Cross) a niche for this statue was made in the right-hand sacristy towards the end of the tenure of Archpriest Bartholomew Bezzina.

Later, on the fourth Friday in Lent, a pilgrimage started to be held with this statue, during which the Way of the Cross is recited. This started when Fr. Joseph Carabott became Archpriest. In fact this pilgrimage first took place on Friday, 15^th March 1985.

 

The Procession of Our Lady of Sorrows.

The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is celebrated the Friday preceding Holy Week, and is very popular on the Maltese Islands. Despite not being the liturgical feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, processions with the statue of the Madonna are held in all Maltese parishes.

In Mosta, devotion towards our Lady of Sorrows is more than 100 years old and goes back even to the Eighteenth century.

However, it was only some forty years ago, after Fr.Bartolomew Bezzina became an Archpriest that a procession with the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows began to be held. From its beginning, this procession attracted large crowds of devotees, during which the Rosary is recited and Marian hymns are sung.

 

Holy Week - Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday morning heralds the Holy Week. To commemorate Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, palm and olive branches are blessed on the parvis of the Oratory of the Sacred Heart. This is then followed by a procession to the Rotunda. The Archpriest and parishioners holding the aforementioned branches lead this procession. In  Church, a solemn mass is held, with the celebrant wearing red and with the reading of the Passion of Jesus Christ.

 

Good Friday Exhibitions

Exhibitions with miniature Passion statues are exhibited in various places. Some of these statues are real works of art and made by skilled artists. It is a suitable thing to cherish this age-old tradition.

 

Maundy Thursday

This marks the start of the Three Holy Days of Easter. In fact this evening starts with the Solemn Mass commemorating the Last Supper. Following the Homily, the feet of twelve chosen men are washed on the Altar steps.

At the end of the Mass, the Holy Sacrament is solemnly transported to the Altar of Repose and laid in a silver capsule. The other altars are stripped of their wares (altar cloths, candlesticks etc) and a solemn adoration before the altar of repose takes place. These are better known as the Visits to the Altar of Repose, which are still widely made by the Maltese.

 

The Adoration of the Holy Cross

On Good Friday a function is held during which the Cross is adored. After the votive prayers, The Archpriest receives the cross while standing before the Altar and then carries it from the Sacristy till the Church's main door. He then moves back to the altar and stops three times, before the main door, in the middle of the church and before the altar. At each stop the celebrant chants; "Look at the rood of the cross", while the choir replies: "Let us adore it". Then the clergy and congregation come to kiss this same crucifix.

 

 

The Easter Vigil

This marks the apex of all celebrations during this week. On this night, the Church commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord from Death and is the greatest celebration of all year.

The celebration starts with the blessing of the new fire followed by the lighting of the candles. Then it continues with the Liturgy of the Word. In the third part, baptisms are held to receive new Christians in the church.

The celebration ends with the Eucharist, during which the Glory is sung, the Organ sounds again, Bells are rung and the church is lit to commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

The Procession of the Risen Christ

On Easter Sunday in the evening, a pageant is held with the statue of the Risen Christ. This starts with the Mosta Scout Group and boys and girls dressed in vestments and holding palm branches and placards commemorating Christ's resurrection follow these. Roman and Jewish soldiers also form part of this pageant. The climax of this pageant is the statue of the Risen Christ accompanied by the Nicolo Isouard Band. The statue bearers run with the statue several times during the pageant; especially the long-awaited one at the end from Rotunda Square to the church.

The statue of the Risen Christ was made in 1976 by Gerolamo Dingli, its funds collected from the parishioners of Mosta.

 

 

 

Il-Festa ta' Kristu Rxoxt minn fuq Net TV (2008)

Rxoxt by Net TV (2008)