Santa Margerita Chapel

Santa Margerita Chapel

Facade of Santa Margerita Chapel.
Basic information
Location San Gwann, Malta
Affiliation Roman Catholic
Rite Latin
Year consecrated 1618 (second time)
Ecclesiastical or organizational status Community Chapel
Architectural description
Architect(s) Unknown
Architectural type church building
Architectural style Vernacular

Santa Margerita Chapel (English: Saint Margareth Chapel), also known as Tal-Hereb Chapel,[1] Tal-Imsierah Chapel,[2] Tal-Arar Chapel (Tal-Gharar) and Tal-Bakkar Chapel,[3] is a 16 th century chapel in San Gwann, Malta. The chapel was intentionally built for the spiritual services of farmers working the fields in the area. The Roman Catholic Church built it when attacks from the sea were common. The chapel was partially damaged during WWII causing serious damages but large parts have survived. Today the church is a landmark in San Gwann and architecturally contrasts with the modern housing of the area.[4]

History

The exact date when the Saint Margerita Chapel was built is unknown but it was built circa the event of the Great Siege of Malta. It was mentioned for the first time in an inscriptiom of Monsignor Petro Dusina in 1575, when he was sent by the papacy to inspect the sparse chapels on the Maltese islands. At his discovery the chapel was the property of a local man named Salvu Calleja who made sure that a mass is in the chapel once a year on the feast day of St. Margaret. However, according to the standards required to be a chapel by the standards of the inspecting Monsignor it was not suitable to be a place of worship as it was not well kept and did not even have a door. Following his orders the chapel was not to be used until a door was attached to the entrance.[5]

In the inscription it is written:[6]

Sanctae Margaritae.

Visitavit etiam alliam Ecclesiam ruralem sub vocabulo Sanctae Margaritae in pertinentia Bircalcariae,
constructam in contrata Arar,
quae habet altare, caret portis ligneis, rectore,
introitibus, et omnibus alija necessarijs,
sed Salvus Calleja ex devotione sua in die festivitatis in eadem celebrari facit missam rantum.
Dominus mandavit non celebrari, nisi appositis portis ligneis, quibus Ecclesia decenter custodiatur.

Interior of the chapel

Saint Margaret Chapel was deconsecrated in 1605 as in the late 16 th century and in the early 17 th century attacks by the Ottoman Empire have increased and consequentially the chapel fell in disuse. It was consecrated again in 1618 by Bishop Baldassare Cagliares.[7] Father Giacomo Pullucino has took the initiative to restore the chapel after it suferred serious neglect during its abandoning as observed by Bishop Michele Girolamo Molina in 1658. The restoration of the chapel was finalised in 1666. Pullicino died in 1680 and was given permission to be buried inside the chapel as documented by Bishop Miguel Juan Balaguer Camarasa, the parish priest of Birkirkara.[8] It is to note that at the time San Gwann used to be part of Birkirkara and consequentially San Gwann was originally part of Birkirkara parish, where ecclesiastical decisions were taken there. Following the death of Pullucino his family was also given permission to be interned in the chapel when they died. In 1680 Bishop Molina has made a visit of courtesy where he gave mass and offered prayers. In 1718 Bishop Joaquín Canaves gave a short visit to the chapel and celebrated mass with the community.[9]

Modern

The chapel as seen from the back
It can be observed the difference between the medieval stones and the 'new' reconstructed stones

During World War II the town of San Gwann was growing in the number of families and this expotentially grow until World War Two. During WWII several families in order to safeguard themselves better has relocated to San Gwann from the Valletta and the surrounding cities and suburbs, in order to avoid being killed. Unfortunately the chapel was directly hit during the war destroying its ceiling and one of the side walls. Eventually after WWII more families relocated to San Gwann as much of the buildings in the cities suffered serious damage. The chapel's damaged parts were rebuilt according to the original architecture and the original parts were restored.[10][11]

Plaque uncovered after the damaged parts were rebuilt and the chapel was reopened to the public

The damaged parts of the chapel were rebuilt and the chapel was reopened again. On the plaque the letter 'n' in the word Falzon is missing. On the inauguration plaque it is written:

Kappella Ta' Sta Margherita V.M.

Miftuha Ufficjalment Mill-Onor Michael Falzon
Ministru Ghall-Izvilupp U Ta' L-Infrasfruttura
Illum 21 Ta' Settembru 1990
Wara Li Sarilha Xoghol Ta' Restawr Estensiv
F' Eghluq Il-25 Sena Tal-Parocca Ta' San Gwann

Kolonna Eterna on the left and Santa Margerita Chapel see far on the right
Adoration of the Eucharist

A parish church dedicated to the Our Lady of Lourd has been built in the 1950s taking its place. Today the chapel is being used for adoration were masses are celebrated less frequently. It is sometimes used for the children of the local schools, for weddings and on the feast of Saint Margaret.[12] Traditionally the chapel was found in the middle of farming fields and agricultural lands but today it is in the middel of an urban zone. The chapel's building is used as a roundabout and stands pridely as a landmark on its own. In 1994 the chapel was scheduled as grade 1 national monument by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.[13] In 2003 a new monument by the name of Kolonna Eterna was installed just in front of the chapel. The two monuments contrast with each other but fit perfectly in this central area of San Gwann.

Cultural Heritage

Santa Margerita Chapel is scheduled as grade 1 national monument since 1994 by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA).[14]

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ "Il-Kappella ta’ Sta Margerita “tal-Ħereb” - San Gwann", Kapelli Maltin - Maltese Chapels.
  2. ↑ "San Gwann", Malta-Canada.
  3. ↑ http://www.kappellimaltin.com/html/s__margerita.html
  4. ↑ "San Gwann Malta".
  5. ↑ "Il-Kappella ta’ Sta Margerita “tal-Ħereb” - San Gwann", Kapelli Maltin - Maltese Chapels.
  6. ↑ "San Gwann Malta".
  7. ↑ "Il-Kappella ta’ Sta Margerita “tal-Ħereb” - San Gwann", Kapelli Maltin - Maltese Chapels.
  8. ↑ "San Gwann Malta".
  9. ↑ "Il-Kappella ta’ Sta Margerita “tal-Ħereb” - San Gwann", Kapelli Maltin - Maltese Chapels.
  10. ↑ "Il-Kappella ta’ Sta Margerita “tal-Ħereb” - San Gwann", Kapelli Maltin - Maltese Chapels.
  11. ↑ "San Gwann", Malta-Canada.
  12. ↑ "Santa Margerita, San Gwann", Quddies.
  13. ↑ "Lista ta' kapelli skedati mil-MEPA mill-1994 sal-lum", Kapelli Maltin, p. 2.
  14. ↑ "Il-Kappella ta’ Sta Margerita “tal-Ħereb” - San Gwann", Kapelli Maltin - Maltese Chapels.

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