Qrendi

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Qrendi or Il-Qrendi is a small village in the southwest of Malta, with a population of 2,525 people (Nov 2005). It is near Mqabba and Żurrieq. Within its boundaries are two well-known neolithic temples called Mnajdra and Hagar Qim. In this village two marvellous feasts are held annually. The feast of Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated either on the last Sunday of June or on the first Sunday of July, while on the 15th of August the titular feast of the Ascension of Our Lady. This feast is popularly known as the feast of Santa Maria.

[edit] History of Qrendi

Qrendi first enters the realm of written history with the rolls of obligations for militia service in 1417 - when 26 ‘households’, no doubt the substantial farms, were recorded; the names of the householders were in about half of the instances the same as surnames in the village today. However, Qrendi was a habited site from much earlier. Within the bounds of the village are the magnificent temples of Mnajdra and Hagar Qim, which reach back to about 3800 BC, which places them, as with other Temple Age remains, among the oldest free-standing structures in the World. Remains of shaft graves, field catacombs, and other archaeological evidence testify also to long-ago habitation.

The ‘Temple’ people died out and were replaced in about 2500BC by Bronze Age settlers from Sicily. In due course Malta became part of the Phoenician, then the Carthaginian, the Roman and the Byzantine empires. In 870 Muslim Arabs from Tunisia captured the Islands and left their language as the vernacular tongue of the Maltese. However, in 1091 the Norman Count Roger, master already of Sicily, overcame the Muslims, and the Maltese Islands became Christian once more and formed part of the Kingdom of Sicily until 1530, when Malta was given to the Knights Hospitaller, the Knights of Malta, who had been expelled from Rhodes by the Ottoman Turks. From Malta the Knights acted as a bastion against Ottoman advances in the Mediterranean, and the great Siege of 1565, which broke an overwhelmingly superior Turkish invasion, altered the course of history. The Chapel of St. Anne in Qrendi was built in gratitude for this victory.

The Knights continued in possession until 1798, when they were driven out by Napoleon’s forces, who in turn were besieged and blockaded by the British into submission. Malta then became a British naval and military base until 1964, when Malta became an independent and sovereign nation.

The other ‘great siege’ of Malta was in World War Two, when the Axis forces attempted to bomb the islands into submission; despite repeated and crippling air attacks the Allies, were (at great cost of ships and lives) able to support a very gallant resistance. Eventually the tide of war turned and Hitler decided not to pursue the plans for a German invasion. Qrendi and its surrounds hosted a number of garrisons of British forces in preparation for action against Rommel’s forces in North Africa; Qrendi also became the site of an airstrip built for the Allied invasion of Sicily - this is now returned to farmland but some of the buildings and the line of the runway can still be found to the north of the village. During these difficult times a substantial amount of bombs fell on Qrendi damaging many houses, which caused a number of fatalities of mainly older folks who were unable to take refuge in the underground shelters dug by the locals, who were masters in stone cutting. These houses including The front of St. Matthew Church which was also destroyed, being rebuilt after the War.

The village has altered considerably in recent years, with a substantial bypass road, and modern housing round its outskirts; the bus terminus and an open space in front of the Parish Church was created by removing the walled grounds of an old villa; nevertheless much of the ‘old’ village core remains, and well repays a close inspection.

One of Qrendi’s treasures is the Maqluba, an enormous karstic depression, which fell in during a great storm in 1343, and legend has it that the small chapel at its entrance was there at the time, which must make it one of the oldest surviving Christian buildings in Malta. There are seven churches and chapels in the parish, mostly built on the sites of earlier structures, and testifying to religion devotion, still major feature of life in the village today. When the first ‘parishes’ were set up in 1436, Qrendi was part of Zurrieq Parish, but as it grew it became a separate parish in 1618; the ornate baroque Parish Church, designed by Lorenzo Gafa’ the architect of Mdina Cathedral, was completed in 1720.

The narrow winding streets and courtyard houses and small fields and ‘rural rooms’ are typical of a Malta which is fast disappearing, but Qrendi retains other links with the past; in Tower Street is an octagonal tower which was a sottoposto, or subsidiary garrison of the Knights for protection of the area from marauders. Later a ring of lookout towers on the coast was built by the Knights, and Qrendi has two, one at Wied iz-Zurrieq, which serves now as police post, and which still possesses its original cannon on the roof, and the other, Torri Hamrija is on the coast of Hagar Qim Archaeological Park. When the British arrived in 1800 Qrendi was put under a Magistrate, a Luogotenente, and these persons were equipped with a walled garden for their sustenance. This garden was built on the authority of Sir Alexander Ball the civil commissioner, and is known as “Il-Gnien Tal-Kmandant”. This is kept in repair and is well worth a visit.

By this time Qrendi had gradually grown to a four figure population, and is now slightly over 2500. It has always been a popular place and several of the Knights of Malta, who ruled from 1530 to 1798, had summer residences in Qrendi; four are in the village centre, with the Guarena Palace, and the Gutenberg Palace outlying. Nevertheless the village is very Maltese and tends to keep to itself. No tourist cafes are found in the middle, but good local restaurants etc. abound in Wied iz-Zurrieq, a pretty fishing hamlet by the sea, boats there ply to the ‘Blue Grotto’, a place of great scenic attraction, and at Hagar Qim next to the gates of the Archaeological Park; nevertheless visitors can be sure of a warm welcome at one of the two Band clubs, the Nationalist or the Labour clubs or the Bocci Club, should they venture inside. As Qrendi is somewhat distant from the larger supermarkets a full range of local shops still operate, and this includes a traditional wood fired bakery. Various hawkers cry their wares from time, and fruit and fish ‘carts’ visit the Squares in the mornings. Qrendi has its own primary school, and a school for children with special needs.

Until recent years the villagers lived by farming, quarrying and fishing, risen early in the morning, but returning from the fields at noon for midday lunch; at about this time in summer months the village closes down for siesta, opening up again about four o’clock; strollers will see Qrendin sitting talking on the benches around the village or on their doorsteps; mostly they are speaking in Maltese, but a cheery greeting is usually available for passers-by. In the first days of July and in mid August the Band Clubs stage elaborate ‘Festas’, week-long religious festivals with musical performances, processions, street parties, and lots of fireworks and pyrotechnic exhibitions. There are also several lesser ‘fieras’ and celebrations. The fireworks are made locally in two firework ‘factories’, by volunteers, who work all year round to ensure that a spectacular display is presented.

Under the Local Councils Act 1993 Qrendi was constituted a District with its own Council; five councillors are elected every three years, choosing from among them a mayor. Local road maintenance, cleaning, and parking controls are the responsibility of the council, but it liaises with the central government and other bodies over a wide range of issue of local concern. Its offices are situated just off the main square.

[edit] Palaces and Towers found in Qrendi

Amongst the most interesting buildings are two which belong to the period of the Knights. One is an octagonal tower which was probably built by a private family, in order to have adequate protection in case of a piratical landing.

The other building on the outskirts of the village is that which is known as Guarena Palace. This building seems to have been built as a private countryside residence by the Knight Pietro Rovero di Guarena in 1740. Somehow, it became the property of a Maltese noble family, and today it is still used as a private residence. It is built in typical 18th century style, when defence was not an absolute preoccupation, and at the same time the façade is not over-decorated.

On the coast, very near the archaeological remains of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, we find two interesting monuments. One is a tower built in the middle of the 17th century during the rule of Grand Master De Redin. This was part of an overall system which was planned to give advance warning of any enemy sightings in the area. Nearby there is also a very plain monument with a name inscribed on it. This is known as the Congreve Monument, placed there to commemorate this British governor who had left instructions that he be buried at sea, between the main island of Malta and the small islet of Filfla.

Another tower found in the area, is that which is today used as a Police Station for the Wied iz-Zurrieq area. This tower which was built by Grand Master Lascaris is known as Ta’ Sciutu. Entering this tower one realizes that it was never meant to offer any real defence to the area. In fact there would only have been four people assigned to do guard duty at the tower, and their main occupation was to convey any suspect shipping in the area. One person would be equipped with a horse, in order to travel quickly and relay the details to the authorities.

[edit] Lourdes Band Club Profile

[edit] The Confraternity Of Our Lady Of Lourdes, Qrendi

This Confraternity was erected by Decree of the late Mgr. Scicluna as Archbishop of the Maltese Diocese on the 21st January, 1878, exactly 20 years after the first apparition of the Holy Virgin in Lourdes, France which took place on the 11th February, 1858. The Qrendi Parish Priest at the time, i.e. in 1878 was the Rev. Dr. Peter Paul Xuereb who was instrumental in commissioning the creation of the artistic statue of Our Lady of Lourdes by the well known artist Carlo Darmanin who hailed from Senglea. On the 23rd April, 1878, the Lourdes Confraternity was joined intimately with the Primary Congregation of the Annunciation in Rome, Italy, and on the 7th May of the same year it was united as well with the Archsolidarity of Our Lady of Lourdes in Rome.

For some inexplicable reasons, the Lourdes Confraternity stopped its activities between the years 1935 and 1958 as the Church Authorities at the time had suddenly suspended all its usual functions. However, following long drawn arguments, discussions, wrangling and bickering between the church and representatives of the Lourdes Confraternity over its suspension and through the diplomatic intervention of the late Dr. Joseph Cassar, as a first conciliatory gesture on the part of His Grace Sir Michael Gonzi, the sanctions imposed on the Confraternity were finally lifted on the 27th June, 1958. This meant that after 23 years, the Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes could be carried processionally again through the streets of Qrendi, but the decoration of the village streets and the playing of marches and Band Programmes were still not allowed for a while, but in 1962, the Confraternity was allowed to organise all the internal and external religious functions as before like every other Secondary feast.

Following the erection of the Lourdes Confraternity in 1878, we come across the creation of the first civil club in Qrendi, better known at the time as the “Circolo Bellini”. This club came into being on the initiative or a small nucleus of people. These public-spirited gentlemen got together and formed the first club in Qrendi on the 10th February, 1895. It is worth recording that the committee of this club used to organize and oversee all the external and internal festivities in honour of the Assumption of Mary in heaven which is Qrendi’s patron saint as well as those in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes. This practice was later discontinued as eventually another club was set up by the St. Mary’s Musical Society. The Circolo Bellini later on became known as the Lourdes Philarmonic Society whose first President was Mr. Mikelin Fenech for the period 1896-1906.

[edit] The Setting Up Of The First Civic Club In Qrendi

Mr. Nikol Magri succeeded Mr. Mikelin Fenech as the Lourdes Philharmonic Society’s President between 1908-1912 and was founder of the “Orchestra Bellini”. This Orchestra which was the first of its kind in Qrendi at the time was named after the famous Italian composer Vincenzo Bellini, and its first director was Mro. Anthony Pace. Among succeeding directors of this orchestra we find Mro. Carmelo Zammit, Alphonse Kissaun and finally Mro. Ferdinand Falzon, this latter hailing from Zurrieq.

The Society’s third President was the Hon. Dr. Francesco Buhagiar. Dr. Buhagiar was born and baptised in Qrendi Parish Church in 1877 and became President of this Society between 1913 and 1922. Dr. Buhagiar was also Prime Minister of Malta in October, 1923. He was succeeded by the Hon. Notary Saviour Borg Olivier as the Society’s fourth President for the period 1924 - 1930. The presidency of this society from 1930 to 1936 was the responsibility of Legal Procurator Alfred Mc Keon, and it’s sixth president was Mr. Mikiel Cassar who was a building contractor. Mr. Cassar assumed the onus of the presidency between 1937 and 1941.

Following the end of hostilities of World War II, the Bellini Orchestra was eventually disbanded, but in 1942 with the unstinting help of Mr. Carmel Aquilina and other committee members of Lourdes Society, the Lourdes Band was formed under the baton of Mro. Michael Ciantar who remained as its director right up to 1947. Mro. Ciantar composed a hymn set to music with lines by the late Rev. Dun Karm Psaila, Our National Poet. This hymn was dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes and is still played by the Lourdes Band of Qrendi to this very day.

From the year 1941 onwards or rather up to November, 2001, the Presidency of Lourdes Band Club became the responsibility of the late Dr. Guze` Cassar. Dr. Cassar has served under various Socialist Administrations with different ministerial portfolios. He served under Prime Minister Dom Mintoff and Sir Paul Boffa as Minister Of Justice, Housing, Education, Customs & Port, etc. He had a ministerial post also when Malta had a coalition Government made up of both Labour and Nationalist members of Parliament. Dr. Cassar also stood in as acting Prime Minister and subsequently as acting President of the Republic Of Malta for some time. Dr. Cassar passed away on the 27th November, 2001.

During the late Dr.Cassar’s long presidency of Lourdes Band Club, Qrendi, both the Lourdes Confraternity and the Lourdes Band Club had gone through a lot of wrangling and bickering with the Maltese Church Authorities over the internal and external religious festivities in connection with the Feast in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes in Qrendi, when the Lourdes Confraternity and the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes were suppressed between 1935 and 1958.

Between 1948 and 1963, the Musical Director of Lourdes Band was Mro. Carmelo Scicluna. Mro. Scicluna, like his predecessor, Mro. Michael Ciantar, also included a Hymn set to music with lyrics by the late Rev. Fr. Frans Camilleri in his repertoire which he dedicated to the Holy Virgin Of Lourdes. This Hymn is played practically every year during the Feast of Our Lady Of Lourdes in Qrendi with the accompaniment of a choir made up of some of Malta’s best singers. This special Hymn is normally played as soon as the procession with the artistic statue of Our Lady Of Lourdes approaches the main village square exactly opposite the Lourdes Band Club’s premises. A Special feature about this Hymn is that, as soon as the Choir starts singing the “Ave Maria” the crowd present in the square also joins in the singing and as soon as the Hymn singing is over, the religious procession proceeds “Aux Flambeaux” right up to the Qrendi Parish Church for the feast’s conclusion ceremony.

The late Mro. Nazzareno Mifsud succeeded Mro. Carmelo Scicluna as Musical Director of Lourdes Band during the period 1963 - 1983. During those 20 years as director, Mro. Nazzareno Mifsud also composed a special Hymn set to music with lines by School Master Paul Zammit apart from other compositions in his repertoire. From 1983 onwards the onus of the band’s responsibility was assumed by Mro. Charles Cachia who hails from Zebbug, Malta. He is still the Lourdes Band’s Musical Director to this very day. In 1995, the Committee of Lourdes Band Club Qrendi, approved Mro. Emmanuel Bugeja of Zurrieq as one of its honorary Band Directors.

[edit] The Orchestra Bellini

In 1928 the Orchestra Bellini Qrendi organised an Orchestral Programme marking the 50th Anniversary from the erection of the Lourdes Confraternity 1878 - 1928. This Orchestra was eventually dissolved following the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

[edit] The Lourdes Band Qrendi

The Lourdes Band played marches and executed several programmes to mark the following important occasions : On the 13th July, 1958 when the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was carried processionally around the streets of Qrendi to mark the lifting of sanctions imposed by the local Church Authorities on the Lourdes Confraternity for 23 Years between 1935 and 1958. On Malta’s Independence Day on the 21st September, 1964. On the 20th January, 1978, to commemorate the Centenary Anniversary from the erection of the Lourdes Confraternity in Qrendi, Malta, and simultaneously in Rome, Italy. On the 31st March, 1979 to mark Malta’s Freedom Day or “Jum il-Helsien” In September, 1987, when the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was re-decorated and given a fresh face-lift by the well-known Gozitan artist Chevalier Alfred Camilleri Cauchi. On the 6th June, 1992, in order to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Joseph Cassar’s Presidency of the Lourdes Band Club, when the Lourdes Band took part in a musical programme under the baton of Mro. Charles Cachia. Among the distinguished guests present for this occasion in 1992, were the President of Malta H.E. Dr. Censu Tabone, The Prime Minister, Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami, and the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Alfred Sant. In 1995, The Lourdes Band held another musical programme in order to mark the Centenary Anniversary from the setting up of the Lourdes Band Club, Qrendi, and among the eminent guests present for the special occasion were H.E. Dr. Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, President of the Republic and other dignitaries. On each and every memorable occasion, the Lourdes band used to parade the streets of Qrendi and other places in Malta with two beautifully gold embroidered banners, one of which represents the Coat of Arms of the City Of Lourdes, France showing three towers with the Pyrenees mountains in the background, and the other banner symbolizes the Australian nation. This latter banner was kindly donated to Lourdes Band Club by a group of Maltese Australians who were once members of Lourdes Band Club back in 1984. Such is the chequered history of the Lourdes Confraternity and of the Lourdes Band Club of Qrendi.

[edit] Fireworks Factories in Malta

In Malta, fireworks displays are associated mostly with feasts and most of the Band Clubs own their firework factory. It is commonly known that most of these displays are set in the southern part of Malta and they attract thousands of people from all around the islands

Most of the fireworks factories are situated on the outskirts of the villages far from residential areas, as a precaution for accidents. When compared to the number of factories, fatal fireworks accidents are minimal and amount to one or two a year.

Most of the fireworks is done on a voluntary basis as a hobby. A great part of the fireworks is done manually and preparation for it begins almost a year before. Technology is being introduced slowly in factories and machines for the pressing of stars can be found nowadays in some of the factories

[edit] Lourdes Fireworks Factory Qrendi

In the 1920’s, some form of fireworks was being produced for the feast of Ta’ Lourdes. However, the first fireworks factory owned by Lourdes Band Club was built before the 1950’s. But, due to a fatal accident, where a person died and another one was badly wounded during the production of fireworks, no more fireworks was produced in this factory.

In 1975, the club decided to build another factory. This time, a site at Taz-Zelliqat, which is 12 km south east of Valletta was chosen. The new factory was officially opened on the 11th November 1976 and consisted of three main stores and two workshops. For the past 27 years, the factory had Mr. Tarcisio Vella as its Licensee.

During recent years the number of workshops was increased and two more stores were build. This is due to an increase in the production of fireworks, since Lourdes Fireworks Factory is well known for its variety of fireworks that it annually produces

The last five years saw the introduction of Pyrotechnic-Musical Shows and this factory was among the first to introduce them. These shows are getting bigger year after year, more spectacular and the one held at Qrendi during the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes was no exception, it was one of the best produced in Malta this year. For the coming year, the factory is planning to organize other displays and work on them had already started.