The Historical and Cultural Committee of St George’s Basilica in Victoria has launched its latest publication entitled, ‘Nidhol hdejn l-altar ta’ Alla. Hamsin Sena mid-Dedikazzjoni ta’ l-Altar Maggur tal-Bazilika ta’ San Gorg (1960-2010).’ It was on December 21, 1960, that the then Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Guzeppi Pace, dedicated the new altar of the Basilica in the presence of a huge congregation that gathered in the Basilica to witness such a historical occasion taking place.

Fr Geoffrey G. Attard, has written a review of the book which follows below:

“The book has a presentation by Mr Francesco Pio Attard, member of the committee itself and one of the minds behind the idea of this timely publication. Mgr Joseph Farrugia, who served as archpriest of St George’s parish for ten years, is the author of the preface of the book; in his study he focuses mainly on the wide theological meaning of the altar and neatly ties this theme with the historical milieu in which the altar was thought and designed by the able Roman sculptor and artist Professor Carlo Pisi. As a lecturer in Fundamental Theology at the University of Malta, Mgr Farrugia does not hesitate to delve into the anthropological significance of the altar even within ancient and pagan religions. However in his article Farrugia stresses the superior theological significance of the altar within the Christian religion. For those who are interested in the local history of Gozo and its ancient parish of St George, Mgr Farrugia’s contribution is of the utmost importance since he does not fail to mention the Eastern and Greek background of the parish where Gozo’s earliest Christian altar was erected.”

“Fr Roberto Gauci, a priest who hails from the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St Gregory at Ta’ Kercem and who presently is the master of ceremonies for the Diocesan Bishop of Gozo, presents an interesting and detailed study regarding the historical-liturgical aspect of the altar mainly within the Christian milieu. The etymological roots of the term “altar” is tackled in a manner that is interesting to both the amateur and the professional reader of theology. The arguments regarding the orientation of the Eucharistic celebration are also well tackled taking into consideration universally acclaimed publications about this particular theme such as former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s book The Spirit of the Liturgy which has been translated into various languages (also in Maltese). Fr Gauci has words of praise for the parish’s decision to have the silver cross put in the middle of the altar during the liturgical celebration, since this practice has not only been recommended by Pope Benedict XVI himself but also helps the faithful to have a specific focus during their participation in the Holy Eucharist.”

“Fr Richard Nazzareno Farrugia, a priest who hails from Xaghra and who at present is studying Moral Theology at the Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome, is the author of the second study in the volume. Fr Farrugia has authored a series of inspiring articles in the parish bimonthly Il-Belt Victoria; besides his specific field of Moral Theology, he is quite keen on the liturgical aspect of the Catholic faith and he is coincidentally related to the well-known Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia Tal-Vers. Fr Farrugia writes about the sacrificial aspect of the altar inspiring himself from the Second Vatican Council’s important document about the liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium. Farrugia tackles the image of the altar, the victim and the sacrifice as presented in the New Testament’s Letter to the Hebrews, a document whose importance can hardly be overestimated in this particular field of research. The author also explains the role of the altar as the place of both the meal and the sacrifice, the latter concept being unwillingly compromised by some Catholic liturgists during the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council.”

“The second section of the book focuses more on the historical and artistic aspects of the “new” altar of St George’s Basilica. It opens with a detailed chronology of the altar’s history covering the period from April 1949 to July 1967 when Bishop Pace blessed the baldacchino which towers over the new altar of St George’s and which resembles Bernini’s baroque canopy at St Peter’s Basilica. Dr Eugene F. Montanaro, an old friend of St George’s and himself an authority on the artistic history of St George’s Basilica, is the author of the article regarding Claudio Durante, the marble designer of the former main altar of the St George’s parish; this article was reproduced from the 1989 issue of the Programm Festi San Gorg Victoria-Ghawdex issued by the La Stella Philharmonic Society on an annual basis for the occasion of the titular feast. This old altar which dates from 1754 will eventually be permanently exhibited at the Basilica Museum which is still under construction. Mr Paul Muscat, who holds a Masters in Art from the University of Malta, is the author of a short but important study focusing on the correspondence found in the parish archives regarding the commission of the Basilica’s present altar. Besides referring to the various letters and receipts regarding the altar’s commissioning by Rev. Anthony Grech Vella in the fifties and sixties, Muscat contextualizes the idea of the altar’s commissioning within the liturgical reform that took place in the Catholic Church at Vatican II and also in the light of the parish’ erection into a basilica minoris by Pope Pius XII. This second section ends with a study by renowned young Gozitan artist and researcher Mr Mark Sagona, who happens to be a parishioner of St George’s and whose father Joseph is not only an artist in his own right but was also a close friend of Professor Pisi. Sagona’s study provides us with first hand information about Carlo Pisi and his works and remains up to now the best biographical sketch that we have as to this Roman artist who worked in our islands during the second half of the twentieth century.”

“The publication contains within its back pages an appendix with valuable information about various commemorative publications related to St George’s. The list of the dedication of the altars of the parishes of the Diocese of Gozo follows; some of these altars substituted earlier ones some of which have unfortunately been destroyed while others kept for posterity.”

“Nidhol hdejn l-altar ta’ Alla’ is a must for all lovers of Melitensia, or rather of Gaulitana, to use the right term. The book has an attractive coloured cover and is well presented. The photos – though black and white – are clear and, as to the local ones, are in their majority being published in book-form for the first time. The book does not present heavy reading and can be read in one sitting, but one is not advised to read it in one go since it is full of theological meaning and some parts of it actually make for meditative reading. All in all, it is a book that every parishioner of St George’s should make it a point to have and own; a small literary masterpiece to commemorate an artistic masterpiece erected to the honour of God and the Christian people of Gozo.”

“The book was launched during a presentation held at the Mgr Emanuel Mercieca Hall of St George’s parish on Monday, the 27th of December 2010, feast of St John the Divine, a short powerpoint presentation was shown to the parishioners gathered for the occasion. At the end of it, Dr Paul G. Pisani km, member of the Historical and Cultural Committee of the Basilica presented the first copy of the book to the Archpriest Mgr Pawlu Cardona, who said a few words of thanks.”

Copies of the book can be obtained at the price of €10 from the Parish Centre and from the local bookshops.

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