Early references to the church
The church of the Assumption – originally a small chapel – is first
recorded in a 1540 document which states that Joanne Peribon,
widow of James, bequeathed a sheep to this church. The church was
subsequently enlarged in 1644 having been profaned in 1637. It seems
that it was reopened in 1667, when a priest’s service is documented in
this church. Early references to the church, referred to as Santa Marija
Ta Zebbug are found in various documents including a 1639 one
referring to the marriage of Paschal Farrugia and Catherine Aquilina.
Moreover, the church is documented in the pastoral visit of Bishop
Luke Bonus. The report mentions that the church had a sanctuary lamp
and a belfry above the main door. The church had three doors, the
main door looking towards the south, another looking towards the
west and another one facing east. After Żebbuġ was declared as a
parish by Bishop Davide Cocco Palmieri – through the decree entitled
Cum in Prima – the first parish priest of Żebbuġ and one of its key
benefactors, Rev. Francesco Vella (1662-1743), built a bigger church
that included the original chapel. The old chapel was still integrated
within the fabric of the church till 1936 when it was dismantled in
order to make way for the new western transept that was built. The
latter transformed the 18th century plan into a latin cross. The original
church was therefore smaller than the present one, without the
present choir and transepts and the current barrel vault.
Work on the old church started in 1692 and works were completed by
1719. Gozitan Michael Agius made the design. So what remains of the
old church built by Rev. Francesco Vella? The church façade, albeit
remodelled in the first decades of the 20th century, together with the
northern and southern wall and the side chapels are original parts of
the old church. The statue of our Lady in the niche on top of the
current façade and the stone scallop re-integrated behind it are parts
of the old church too. According to a correspondence between Rev.
Vella and the Bishop’s Curia in Malta, the expenses of the building of
the new church amounted to 3,100 skudi. The church was consecrated
by Bishop Paul Alpheran de Bussan in 30th September 1736. It was the
second church, after the Matrix Church in Rabat and has been hailed
by De Soldanis for its riches and imposing architecture. This comes to
a surprise as an 18th century document signed by a certain man named
Caxaro, describes the population of Żebbuġ as very poor.
In 1861 Bishop Caietanus Pace Forno O.S.A. consecrated two bells, one
named after the Assumption of the Virgin and one after himself.
The old church was first enlarged in the first decades of the 20th
century when the Baroque portico was closed and its space added to
the church’s interior. However the biggest enlargement of the church
took place between 1936 and 1942.
Among the works hanging in the church one finds (clockwise on
entering the main door from the left hand side: The Holy Family by
Vincenzo Monti (1852-1942) and upon the northern entrance, the
huge 18th century canvas representing The Circumcision of Christ by
unknown artist. A thorough restoration of this canvas is needed for a
better appreciation of this work. In the chapel dedicated to the Holy
Spirit, one finds the altar painting representing Pentecost by Robert
Caruana Dingli (1882-1940). Moving into the northern transept one
finds the canvases representing St Peter and St Andrew, both by
renowned Maltese artist Emvin Cremona (1919-1987). These flank the
huge and monumental altarpiece representing The Crucifixion of Christ
by the great Maltese artist Giuseppe Cali (1846-1930). As can be seen
in the inscription on the right bottom corner of the canvas, this work
was commissioned by the great Maltese philanthropist Vincenzo
Bugeja. Underneath this work one finds the 18th century sotto quadro
representing The Virgin of Sorrows.
In the chapel of the Immaculate Conception one finds the 17th century
canvas representing The Immaculate Conception, originally known as
St Mary of Virtues. While its artist is unknown, originally this canvas
was the titular painting of the chapel of St. Mary. This painting has
always been of great devotional importance for the Żebbuġ
community. Several legends are ascribed to it including ones related
to the intercession of the Virgin in tumultuous times. Legend has it
that the Virgin pelted marauders with stones and kept them away from
the village. In 1723, a golden necklace decorating the canvas was
stolen and the thief consequently committed suicide. It is also believed
ahead of catastrophic times, the Virgin’s face would turn pale.
On the right side of the chapel of the Immaculate Conception one finds
a monument that contains the remains of the first parish priest of
Żebbuġ Rev. Francis Vella. The monument, executed in the local
alabaster was erected in 1988 as part of 300th anniversary celebrations
of the establishment of the Parish of Żebbuġ by Bishop Davide Cocco
Palmieri.
The choir is dominated by the main altarpiece, or titular painting
representing The Coronation of the Virgin. According to G. P. Agius de
Soldanis this is the work of Francesco de Domenici (1655-1723). It
must have been painted a few years before the artist’s demise as it is
first documented in the 1623 report of the pastoral visit by Bishop Gori
Mancini.
In 1980, during a solemn ceremony in the village square, a gold crown
commissioned by the people of Żebbuġ was fixed to the head of the
Virgin by the Bishop of Gozo Mgr. Nicholas Cauchi. Cardinal Mario Luigi
Ciappi O.P. , Mgr. Salvatore de Salvo, Bishop of Nicosia in Sicily and Mgr.
Carlo Urro were present for the occasion that coincided with the 30th
anniversary since the promulgation of the Dogma of the Assumption.
In 2022 the painting was restored by RECOOP, a restoration firm based
in Malta. A considerable amount of overpainting was taken off and this
revealed very important original elements in the canvas, including a
cherub underneath the Virgin and that was completely hidden for a
century or so. Through this restoration intervention, a better
appreciation of the painting and the technical competence of the artist
can be carried out.
The titular painting is flanked by two paintings executed by Emvin
Cremona. They represent The Annunciation and The Visitation. The
bozzetto of the former is treasured in the church collection. Also in the
choir, one finds two large lateral canvases, one representing The Birth
of the Virgin and another one representing The Presentation of the
Virgin. They were both painted by Antonio Zammit (1830-1864).
Zammit was a student of the famous Maltese artist Tommaso Madiona
(1803-1864).
At the back of the tabernacle lies an 18th century silver door of the
original tabernacle that existed before the current one. On it there is
the embossed figure of Christ holding the Cross, a composition
inspired from an important work by the great Italian artist Guido Reni,
commissioned during the Knights’ Period and which is part of the
National Collection.
In the chapel of St. Francis Xavier one finds an altarpiece representing
the same subject by Robert Caruana Dingli. In the chapel one finds
several interesting papier-mâché devotional statues, amongst which
the statue representing St. Fortunatus which contains relics dating
back to the Roman persecution and that were donated to church by
the Mizzi family. This was the family of two important Maltese
politicians, namely Fortunato, leader of the Anti-Riformist Party and
his son Enrico, a former prime minister of Malta. Also in the same
chapel, one finds the statue of Il-Madonna tal-Għażżiel. A fine 19th
century statue manufactured at Marseilles, the statue bears the
Għażżiela, a century old symbol representing the Name of Mary,
produced out of dough and salt and which is distributed in the feast
dedicated to the same title. It is believed that this symbol protects
houses during storms. In the same chapel one finds a monument to
Saviour Cefai, who donated the alabaster to be used for the
embellishment of the church.
In the south transept one finds three works by Emvin Cremona, one
representing St. Ursula and a second one representing St. George.
These canvases flank the large altarpiece representing The Shipwreck
of St. Paul. The marble altar of St. Paul was the original main altar of
the church before it was replaced by the current one. This altarpiece
has an interesting story as it is the second canvas produced by
Cremona for this altar, as the original work was refused. While the
original canvas’s whereabouts are unknown, luckily an old photo of it
still survives. This clearly shows that most probably the work was
refused as it was deemed too modern. Both the composition and the
rendition of the figures point towards Cremona’s later modern
expression. Today, Cremona is known as a pioneer of modern and
abstract art in Malta. The current work shows a more conventional
iconography of St. Paul and is based on Melchiorre Cafa’s baroque
statue for the Valletta church.
In the side chapels on the southern side of the church, one finds the
painting representing The Virgin of the Rosary and the canvas
representing St Michael, both large altar paintings hanging in chapels
dedicated to their respective title. The Rosary chapel altar contains the
remains of Rev. Carmelo Cachia (1882-1950) whose virtuous life and
ministry are well documented. In the side chapel facing the northern
entrance of the church, one finds the devotional papier-mâché group
representing The Crucifixion produced by Agostino Camilleri (1885-
1979) This is one the statues produced by the same artist, which are
carried in procession in the traditional Good Friday procession.
On top of the main entrance one finds a pipe organ manufactured in
Crema, Italy in 1926 by the renowned Milanese organ builders Pacifico
Inzoli e Figli.
A tour inside the church would not be complete without admiring the
titular statue of St. Mary. Acquired by Archpriest John Camilleri in 1863
from the Gallard et Fils. workshop in Marseilles, the papier-mâché was
the first in a series of commissions by Gozitan parishes. It was also the
fourth titular statue in Gozo. The Żebbuġ statue was carried in
procession in the same year of its execution. Stylistically, the statue
betrays neo-classical elements characterized by idealized beauty. This
is especially felt in the Virgin’s pose and the undulating tunic, partly
suspended on her left shoulder. Those classical elementstogether with
the palette, are typical of the academic and salon style that were
prevalent in France in the second half of the 19th century, before being
seriously challenged by the modernism of Impressionist art.
The statue is a symmetrical composition with the Virgin opening her
arms in a humble gesture while ascending into the heavens.
Accompanying the Virgin are two angels, one on each side while two
winged heads of putti look on from the cloud underneath the Virgin.
The statue was restored for the first time in 2023 by PrevArti on the
initiative of the current parish priest Can. John Sultana.
Scattered across the six side chapels flanking the main nave, one finds
the Stations of the Cross by Gozitan artist Michele Busuttil ( 1762-
1831). Trained in Rome, Busuttil was one of the major artists of the
early 19th century and his classical training can be felt in the canvases
of the Stations.
In the church collection one finds several important works. These are:
The Virgin of Light by Gian Nicola Buhagiar (1698-1752), St. Francis
Xavier by unknown 18th century Maltese artist and the large Adoration
of the Eucharist by unknown artist. Another important canvas is a
portrait of Giovanni Maria Cini (1859) by Lorenzo Aspetti, portraying
the benefactor who paid for the church’s damask decoration. Several
portaits of parish priests who served in the parish of Żebbuġ hang in
the sacristy.
The church also possesses an interesting antique silver and jewellery
collection and other objets d’art. These include the silver statue of The
Virgin and Child which is first documented in the report of the 1736
pastoral visit by Bishop Alpheran de Bussan, several silver chalices and
pyxes and an interesting collection of sacred vestments, books and
furniture. Some of these artefacts were transferred to the Archpriest’s
House to embellish its interior.
The alabaster quarried in Żebbuġ
In 1980 the parish started a long and ambitious programme of
embellishing the church interior with the alabaster that had been
found in a field at Taċ-Ċaqra in the 18th century which towards the end
of the 20th century belonged to Saviour Cefai. Several pieces of church
furniture including the altar, the ambo and baptismal font were carved
out of this material by Maltese sculptor Ronnie Pisani (1951-2023).
The altar is considered as Pisani’s masterpiece and has – since its
execution – drawn hundreds of visitors to appreciate the beauty of the
material and its workmanship. The design is inspired from the
eucharistic symbols that intertwine around four vines arranged in the
form of a table. Underneath, a bowl containing bread and a chalice
complement the symmetrical composition of the altar. The whole
alabaster project together with a long list of initiatives were the
brainchild of Archpriest Aloysius Vella.
But what is the history of this alabaster?
According to 18th century historian Gian Pietro Agius de Soldanis, in
1738 a considerable amount of a beautiful stone was discovered in
Żebbuġ. He recounts that “some men were carrying the marble for the
altars that had had been ordered for the parish church and as they
were crossing this field they stumbled upon a large block of this crude
alabaster uncovered by a recent heavy rainfall. They split the rock and
found that it consisted of alabaster…” He also maintains that many
works of art for churches and palaces were made during this time. But
which works of art?
De Soldanis also explains that as soon as world spread around the
islands about the discovery of this alabaster, Grand Master Despuig
and other members of the nobility sent for some samples which they
sent abroad for further analysis. All the answers were words of praise
for this newly found rock. Among the reactions, he makes reference to
one that came from France, by Balì Fra Sesto Angelo Dericard D’Aix, a
very reliable man not only because he was in the military but also
because he is an expert lapidarian. De Soldanis explains how he sent a
sample of this alabaster for analysis on 22 July 1741 to Dericard D’Aix
himself. The reply from Paris was the following:
“Je vais vous render compte a present de vôtre marbre du Gozo. Le
habiles marbriers a qui je l’ait fait voir dissent que c’est de l’alabastre
oriental et le trouvent fort beau, d’un grain beaucoup plus dur, plus fin
et d’un plus beau polique celuis de Trapano en Sicile.”
The following is an English translation:
“Now I am going to render to you an account of the your marble from
Gozo. I showed it to some marble workers of experience and they told
me that this is oriental marble and very beautiful and of a harder
quality and finer quality and lends itself to a finer polish than that of
Trapani.”
It could be possible that the Żebbuġ alabaster was discovered much
earlier than the 18th century. A Roman double mortar found in the
Gozo Museum of Archaeology might be made up of the same material.
On close examination, the stone quarried at Tas-Sagħtrija area, locally
known at Taċ-Ċaqra, is a fine type of orange banded honey calcite,
sometimes also referred to as onyx. The latter is usually formed when
calcium carbonate precipitates from a solution of dissolved calcium
carbonate and ground water. The calcium carbonate is deposited
within a large opening or fissure in the mother rock and parallel bands
are created as additional calcium carbonate precipitates.
In the history of early travellers to Gozo one notices that the alabaster
quarry was one of the main attractions travellers visited while in Gozo.
In 1777, an important visitor visited the alabaster quarry. He was none
other than Jean Pierre Louis Laurent Houël (1735 -1813) a French
painter, engraver and draftsman. During his long life, Houël witnessed
the reign of Louis XV, the French Revolution, and the period of
Napoleon’s First Empire. Houël spent the years 1776 to 1779 travelling
in Sicily, Lipari, and Malta, after which, based on his journey, he
published a series of four volumes of lavishly illustrated travel books
(1782–1787), one of which was entitled Voyage picturesque des Isles
de Sicile, de Malte et Lipari.
Several projects were carried out in Gozo using the Żebbuġ alabaster.
During the 18th century, the baptismal font of the Gozo matrice – now
the Cathedral of St. Mary – and a twin copy of it to adorn the main
entrance of the church were carved out of the material. The main altar
of the church of Our Lady of Patronage in Għasri, formely part of the
Żebbuġ parish is also made of the same material. Moreover, the claim
that the alabaster has been used for the altar decorations at the
Conventual Church of St. John in Valletta and for the twin cabinets at
Verdala Palace need further investigation as similar material was
quarried in Malta, especially in the Dingli area.
For several centuries, the onyx quarry was completely forgotten. It
seems that in the 1930s a huge boulder from the same material was
visible, and the then owners of the land, Francis and Michael Agius had
shown interest in donating the material to the church. Michael Agius
was the father-in-law of Saviour Cefai, who in 1980 fulfilled Agius’s
wish of donating the onyx to the Żebbuġ parish. Cefai gave permission
to excavate the rock as Vincent Saliba located the quarry. Saliba was in
charge of the onyx’s quarrying and its transportation to Pisani’s studio
in Malta. One of the first projects was the main altar. One must
underline the collective patronage that followed, managed by the then
archpriest of Żebbuġ Mgr. Aloysius Vella and the numerous individuals
hailing from the community who donated huge sums of money for the
embellishment programme of the Żebbuġ church with onyx.
Recent times
In the 1990s the restoration of the church started being planned
during the office of Parish Priest Can. Noel Saliba while works on the
dome started during the office of Parish Priest Can. Reuben Micallef.
These works still continue during the current office of Parish Priest
Can. Ġwann Sultana.
Extensive restoration and reconstruction works were carried out in
recent years with the left bell tower being completely demolished and
rebuilt. This was due to extensive damage incurred by the church’s
fabric because of salt penetration. Decision was taken to rebuild the
structures according to the original 19th century design that was
altered several times during the last century.
Conclusion
One can say without hesitation that the Żebbuġ church is a testimony
of how the small Gozitan communities went against all odds when
building and decorating their temples. The various treasures and
works of art that decorate the parish church of St. Mary will surprise
you especially when you consider the financial and demographic
limitations that the Żebbuġ community was synonymous with in the
past.
References
Vella, H. C. R. (2018). Żebbuġ of Gozo – Its People, Inscriptions and
History. Malta: Print It
Vella, J. (1987 ) Iż-Żebbuġ – Il-Parroċċa ta’ Santa Marija. Malta: Gozo
Press.
Research: Mario Cassar
Copyright: Soċjeta’ Banda Santa Marija and Żebbuġ Gozo Local Council
Photo credits: Mario Cassar
Acknowledgments: The old photos of the church and the onyx
quarrying are being reproduced by courtesy of Riħ id-Deheb Historical
House and Natural Grotto, Żebbuġ.
