St. Mary’s Cemetery
Until the early 1930s, burials in Żebbuġ took place either in the parish church of the Assumption or in the adjacent cemetery that is recorded next to the previously existing chapel of Santa Marija tal-Virtù. Burials inside the church were banned in the beginning of the 20th century. However, the idea of constructing a new cemetery for the Żebbuġ community only materialized in the early 1930s. Plans were made for the erection of a cemetery on the outskirts of the village, in the area known as Tal-Klejja.
In a formal request presented to the Bishop of Gozo Mgr. Michael
Gonzi in 1934, the parish priest of Żebbuġ Rev. Michelangelo Cauchi
stated that the cemetery at Tal-Klejja Area was designed by Arturo
Bondì, an architect from Victoria. Cauchi also asked for permission of
starting construction works and to buy a piece of land from Salvatore
Cini for the sum of £23. Permission for works to be carried out on the
cemetery were granted by the Public Works Office on 24th February 1943. The cemetery included “50 graves of which fourteen horizontally
bipartite with necessary pathways, a small chapel, a mortuary, an
ossuary and a small room for implements”. The cemetery was built by
Żebbuġ-born stonemason and scalpellino Sebastian Axiaq (1876-
1964), who is known for the design of his eclectic residence which he
built in a street off Għajn Melel Street and overlooking Ta’ Milied area.
The house contains a very original crib completely carved in
globigerina limestone, popularly known as Il-Presepju ta’ Bastjan.
The cemetery has a simple yet elegant outer wall embellished with
classicising motifs in the form of short pedestals that surround the
whole structure. An elegant doorway with a metal gate, crowned by a
triangular pediment leads to the inside. Flanking the more recent main
chapel are two private chapels presumably designed by Bondì and
built by Axiaq himself. The elegant chapels serve as private chapels and
house the graves of the Axiaq and Camilleri families. The design is truly elegant with domes crowning the structures. The main doors and
windows are typical of late 19th century Maltese eclectic architecture.
In 1965, a new chapel designed by architect Joseph Dimech (1931-
2021) was erected. The style of the chapel, dedicated to Our Lady
Queen of the Souls of Purgatory is in the classical tradition. Containing
a classical portico that leads into the chapel, the structure is crowned
by an elegant dome, that in spite of its anachronistic style, has
embellished the surrounding landscape of Tal-Klejja area.
The chapel houses several graves where some very high-profile
villagers including members of the clergy were interred. Among the
prominent figures who lay at rest in the cemetery chapel are Rev.
Francis Mercieca and his nephew Rev. Mgr. Louis Vella who were parish
priests of Żebbuġ between 1938 and 1964 and between 1964 and
1996 respectively. It was Mgr. Vella who thought of building the new
chapel and who managed to get it consecrated by the Bishop of Gozo
Mgr. Joseph Pace on 1st November 1966.
The chapel contains early paintings by Paolo Camilleri Cauchi (1940-
) including the main altarpiece that represents The Virgin as the Queen
of the Souls of Purgatory.
New tombs were constructed in the cemetery during the office of
Parish Priest Can. Noel Saliba who administered the parish between
1996 and 2006 while the sacristy was extended during the office of
Parish Priest Can. Reuben Micallef.
St. Mary Cemetery featured in several drawings my Maltese artist and
architect Richard England (1937- ).
Overlooking St. Mary’s Cemetery one finds one of the most striking hills that crown the Gozitan landscape, namely Ta’ Kuljat Hill. Flanking the village of Żebbuġ and making part of its locality, Ta’ Kuljat Hill is located between Dabrani Hill and Gozo’s capital, Victoria. Its top’s widest part is 310m long while its narrowest part is 153m wide. The hill has played an important role in the life of Żebbuġ, having been inhabited since ancient times.
Sites like Ta’ Kuljat, with its flat plateau, were mostly inhabited during the troubled times of the Bronze Age. However, the abundant scatter of neolithic sherds found on the eastern slope of the hill might point to an earlier settlement. In 1647, Maltese historian Gian Frangisk Abela refers to the hill as Ta Cogliat while Gozitan historian Gian Piet Agius de Soldanis makes reference to a megalithic structure on the same hill. As regards to the Bronze Age, scattered Bronze Age sherds were retrieved on the hill, identifying this site as a settlement. On top of that, a Bronze Age wall, still found in the area, is the most visible proof of this. It is built of relatively large boulders and extends along the eastern edge of the hilltop for about 65 metres in a north-easterly/south-westerly direction. The wall was probably defensive and may originally have surrounded the whole hilltop settlement. Nearby a natural cave found on the slope may have been inhabited during prehistoric times. These were the first type of shelters, the first Maltese, who came from Sicily used when they inhabited the island of Gozo. On Ta’ Kuljat hill one also finds a freshwater spring, a main reason why early settlers might have chosen this hill as their first home.
Several structures built by farmers throughout the centuries, mostly built in the vernacular tradition are scattered in the area. These are usually simple box-like in plan and served as shelters and stores for farmers. Some were also erected in recent times. There are historical references to two chapels at Ta’ Kuljat, one dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene and another to St. Julian. Both were lost to the ravages of time.
Ta’ Kuljat was a key reference point for agriculture in Żebbuġ. Farmers who owned land on its top and in the slopes of the hill faced unimaginable hardships to work the land. Several vineyards in the area produced some of the best wine that was consumed by the villagers in the small wine bars of Żebbuġ. The hill was also sought after for hunting.
During World War II, three enemy planes fell in the area of Ta’ Kuljat. On the 27th July 1942 an Italian plane, a Macchi 202 was shot down in the field called Tal-Abbattija by Canadian pilot George Buerling. The Italian pilot Falierio Gelli survived but was wounded in the chest. Through the intervention of Żebbuġ priest Fr. Joseph Camilleri, who served as interpreter, the pilot was escorted to the local police station. It is said that villagers gathered near the police station to attack the enemy pilot. However he was safely escorted to hospital through a secondary exit. According to war historian Charles Bezzina, after given treatment, Gelli was taken as a prisoner of war in Malta and died in his homeland in the 1990s.
WIED L-INFERN
Heading towards Żebbuġ from Rabat, turning right before reaching St.
Mary Cemetery, one finds himself going down a steep hill. This road
leads to Wied l-Infern, that can loosely be translated as “the valley of
hell”. The valley runs under the foot of the Żebbuġ, Dabrani and Kuljat
hills. A winding road, Triq Wied l-Infern leads to the Il-Qolla l-Bajda
area and Marsalforn. The valley leads to Qbajjar Bay.
In 1612, several gold objects of a strange shape had been found in the
same valley by the Gozitan Antonio Vella. These consisted of 33 rods
of solid gold. Historians have referred to them as “volgarmente
chiamate modoni”. These were presumably of the Phoenicio-Punic
Period. The whereabouts of this treasure are unknown as unlike other
gold objects of the same period are not to be found in the National
Collection.
DABRANI HILL
Dabrani hill flanks Ta’ Kuljat hill and its geology is practically similar to
it. However in its southern parts it has a more pronounced and
exposed clay outcrop. Dabrani hill must have always been a reference
point to Żebbuġ not only because of its geographical position but also
because it dominates its surrounding landscape, especially when
viewed from the eastern part of the village. Its beauty can be enjoyed
from several parts of Żebbuġ including the promenade behind the
primary school and from Church Street as one approaches the village
square.
Similarly to Ta’ Kuljat, Dabrani was a very important agricultural area
for local farmers. In the past, due to the lack of vehicles and
mechanical tractors, hillside fields presented the farmers with
unimaginable hardships and difficulties. Yet farmers, using horse-
drawn carts and rudimentary tools were not disheartened to work the
land and harvest its produce.
Dabrani features in the song “Inti Djamant” (1977), written by
Emanuel Ellis for The Tramps. This is considered as the most popular
song related to Gozo:
“Id-Dabbrani u ta’ Kuljat
Il-Ħarrax, widien u blat
In-Nuffara w ta’ Gelmus
Il-kastell tant kuraġġjuż…”
Research: Mario Cassar
Copyright: Soċjeta’ Banda Santa u Kunsill Lokali iż-Żebbuġ Għawdex.
Photo credits: Mario Cassar, Leo Cefai, Google Earth.
Drawing: ©Richard England
Acknowledgements: Original documents regarding the building of the
cemetery are found in the archives of Riħ id-Deheb Historical House
and Natural Grotto, Żebbuġ.
