The feast of St.Helen, Birkirkara, Malta.

[minerva]

Summer is choc-a-block with feasts in Malta. Each weekend, there are about five villages celebrating their village feast. Each village has a Parish Church, which is dedicated to a Patron Saint. The Patron Saint of our town is Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, finder of the true Cross of Jesus Christ.
The Church is about 500 years old. It is one of the most beautiful churches on the islands (maybe i'm biased as well...). It's full of important baroque art pieces.
During festa time, the whole village is decorated with festoons, flags, lights, statues....you name it. It's a whole week of celebrations.
Yesterday, Thalia and I, with our kids had a good time seeing the band and the revelry.
Today....Earlier in the day there was a high mass in the Basilica of St.Helen, after that, the band walks through the town cheering people up, then the band goes on the bandstand and gives a concert, after the concert, the land fireworks start.
Here are some pictures from today's feast. Tomorrow i'll post more...

This is the Church as you approach it from a side street. It's all lit up for the occasion

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/6841/churchlightsmx9.jpg

[minerva]

This is the Statue of Helena. From the front and from the back

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1954/santalienafrontkd0.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8567/santalienabackla5.jpg

[marianna]

Gorgeous!!!!!!!! I really love this.

[minerva]

Here's one of the chandeliers inside the church. There are twelve of them. (phantom of the opera, eat your heart out :D )

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/4756/chandelierjf7.jpg

This is the Altar. The actual altar table is removed after mass, because of the people roaming in the Church.

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5476/altarcx8.jpg

[minerva]

Above the altar, is the Basilica's cupola. It's frescoed by Baroque Italian artist Virginio Monti and it depicts the day of judgement. On the four corners of the cupola are depictions of the four Evangelists, Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/4463/cupoladp1.jpg

And running along the whole length of the Basilica, is what we call the 'Korsija' (the Aisle)
the ceiling is painted by the same artist and it shows the life of Santa Helena

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/5669/korsijalc2.jpg

[minerva]

I took this picture for Threadlike. It depicts the Ascension of Our Lady (notice the snake under her feet). The Basilica has twelve little chaplets on the sides and each chaplet is dedicated to a Saint. This is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/9199/madonnaascensionex2.jpg

Here's a painting of Helena on her deathbed

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/940/helenadeathbedxz9.jpg

and here's another of Helena, depicting the time when she found the three crosses, one belonging to Christ, and the other two belonging to the two thieves crucified with him.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/6820/sejbafrescona8.jpg

Here's a detail of the 'ganutell' bouquet, centuries old, decorating one of the little chaplets. it's a traditional craft, using silver wire and silk thread, to make little flowers, which are put together in an ornate bouquet. my mother makes such flowers. one little flower takes about four hours to compose. imagine a whole bouquet.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/453/ganutellandcandelabradeqo9.jpg

This is the holy water fount. When we enter the Church, we dip our finger in the holy water, make a small cross on our forehead, our mouth, and our hearts. As a child i was taught that it means 'Dear Lord, make me think good thoughts, speak good words, and purify my heart'.

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/820/holywaterfountjz2.jpg

[minerva]

Outside, in the town square.
This is our Big Bell. Her name is Helena. It was foundered in Milan 75 years ago. It's one of the biggest bells in the world.

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/1492/bigbellpr9.jpg

Just under the church parvis, the bandstand entertains people with a concert of classical, modern and sacred music.

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/2346/bandstandjt4.jpg

this is the cupola i posted earlier...from outside. i took the picture from the back of the church, where the fireworks were.
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/2686/kopplaoutsidexk9.jpg

[poisonillusions]

These pictures are really nice. I love to take pictures of any buildings because of the architectural work. Thanks for sharing.

[minerva]

Tonight was the night for the land fireworks. A group of men, voluntarily build up the fireworks throughout the year...only to go up in smoke on feast night. Everybody contributes a little bit towards their expense.

this particular work had six diamonds which rotated and changed colour (and smoked us alive....but it was good fun)

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6868/fireworkjp1.jpg

this was the last work...three poles lit up at the same time (i took loads of pics, but they are oh so hazy and blurry...) There were about thirty poles in all, all different, with different effects (and loud bangs, whistles and hisses)

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5340/firework2md5.jpg

here's another pic of that firework. it came 'not bad' because i was standing really close to it...about five metres away.

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/9438/firework3nw4.jpg

That's all for tonight folks. i never take the camera with me, but tonight i made it a point, so i can share these pics with you.

Il-Festa t-tajba. Viva Santa Liena!!

[poisonillusions]

Awesome. You know I used to work at a flag store in Missouri. I believe I've sold the Maltese flag twice. In Dearborn,there is a building for Maltese people. I think it's like the "American Maltese Cultural Center".

[minerva]

Awesome. You know I used to work at a flag store in Missouri. I believe I've sold the Maltese flag twice. In Dearborn,there is a building for Maltese people. I think it's like the "American Maltese Cultural Center".
really? wow! i think they say there are more Maltese living abroad than Maltese living in Malta. Thanks for your comment. The pics aren't that great, my camera was running on a very low battery...coupled with my total lack of skill lol. I wanted to give a taste of a festa celebration in my town here.

[poisonillusions]

Not to worry, the pictures are great. I love to see different pictures from around the world.

[El Rey]

What I like about churches more is the amazing architechture and precise sculpture. They have always fascinated me. And I have lots of photos of different churches in France, Swiss, Spain and Italy. I just love them. Thanks for sharing.

[Thalia]

Here are a couple from Friday. Taken with phone, no flash and too dark/blurry.. but you get an idea.

Church from the outside

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/1594/20080822002if3.jpg


This is.... erm.. Minerva can explain it better. It's a hand made miniature of the church dome .. It's made from fabric and opened like an umbrella.

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/1690/20080822003sf8.jpg



And this is the detail on the underside of the same thing.

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/7918/20080822004vg1.jpg

[minerva]

that's a model of the 'cupola' made by enthusiasts, as a decoration and part of the celebrations.
it's all closed at first, but then it opens up, all automated. it's made of fabric and metalwork. it's used as part of the banter when the band walks through the streets.

[Miss G]

The church is absolutely beautiful. & that statue of Saint Helena.... amazing. Thanks so much for sharing! Those fireworks got me all excited! Can't imagine what it would be like watching them go!

[marianna]

Man I wish I was there........and to think of all the time it took to create these artistic feats of wonder. I love the fireworks and can just imagine what it must have been like up close.

[minerva]

The church is absolutely beautiful. & that statue of Saint Helena.... amazing. Thanks so much for sharing! Those fireworks got me all excited! Can't imagine what it would be like watching them go!
thanks love, for me when a foreigner, especially someone from a different religion, says that my church is beautiful, it fills me with great joy and pride.
it's all ornamented and very baroque, and it's all done by the common people who contributed towards it throughout the ages. it's OUR common house, where we all gather daily and every sunday to worship together. some say that the old churches are the 'museums and theatres of the poor' because in them there are masterpieces of sculpture and painting and in them various concerts of sacred music are heard. going in a church, even outside mass hours, is a very peaceful thing to do. the silence, the beauty and the serenity of it all makes you feel you are at the gates of heaven.

[minerva]

Man I wish I was there........and to think of all the time it took to create these artistic feats of wonder. I love the fireworks and can just imagine what it must have been like up close.
the Birkirkara fireworks are great, but they are not the best on the island. there are some 'firework' traditional villages that have masterpieces and have won awards internationally. it's all tied up to religion. they let off fireworks at certain times when a celebration is happenning inside the church (for example at the exact time of Consecration of the bread) and the big colourful ones are there to bring the crowd together and enjoy the feast in honour of the patron saint.

[marianna]

^^That's how I feel. My childhood church was built in the 1800's (later torn down in the late 1990s's when the congregation became bigger--which made me mad) so viewing these masterpieces of religious devoution makes my heart tremble.

[Miss G]

Clearly, the interior & exterior design of your church is just breath taking. If I ever visited my senses would be having a freakin' field day! & about it being put together by common people, I can tell you as an outsider, to both the coutry & the religion, you can ALWAYS feeel the difference when a church is taken care of by the community, when it's place that a group of people constantly come together to worship & simply give & take love & all sorts of good things. I feel equally in peace praying in a church like that as I do in a mosque. Honestly.

[minerva]

Clearly, the interior & exterior design of your church is just breath taking. If I ever visited my senses would be having a freakin' field day! & about it being put together by common people, I can tell you as an outsider, to both the coutry & the religion, you can ALWAYS feeel the difference when a church is taken care of by the community, when it's place that a group of people constantly come together to worship & simply give & take love & all sorts of good things. I feel equally in peace praying in a church like that as I do in a mosque. Honestly.
the church took 60 years to build. some guys never saw it completed. it was all done by men after their normal daily work was done. even the priests used to take off their priestly vestments, put on workers' clothing and go there to help with the building. that's why it's so special. the people wanted their temple and they wanted to make it beautiful. everybody mucked in, under the guidance of a few old wise men.

[Miss G]

Very inspiring. & as I said, you can definitely feel all the love & effort when in a place like that.

[um_amira]

WooooooooW
I wish i were there- One day inshallah :D

[marianna]

Clearly, the interior & exterior design of your church is just breath taking. If I ever visited my senses would be having a freakin' field day! & about it being put together by common people, I can tell you as an outsider, to both the coutry & the religion, you can ALWAYS feeel the difference when a church is taken care of by the community, when it's place that a group of people constantly come together to worship & simply give & take love & all sorts of good things. I feel equally in peace praying in a church like that as I do in a mosque. Honestly.


That is completely heartwarming and made my heart smile. :)

[NaBHaN]

*moved to photo album sabla*

It looks like a fantastic event, thanks for sharing it with us.

[spirit]

Was having a conversation with a classmate yesterday and he was life...Went to malta this summer....am like **** YOU!!! lol

next time PLZZZZZZZ share photos of the maltease ladies