Nadur
Nibdew biex nghidu li sa ftuh is-seklu ghoxrin, f'Ghawdex ma kienux isiru purcissjonijiet tal-Gimgha l-Kbira hlief fir-Rabat. Madankollu, fil-knisja Kollegjata tan-Nadur, il-liturgija tal-Gimgha Mqaddsa kienet tigi ccelebrata b'solennita' kbira.
Lejn nofs is-seklu dsatax, saret il-vara tad-Duluri li matul iz-zmien intuzat waqt xi pellegrinaggi li kienu jigu organizzati bejn il-Parrocci tan-Nadur, Ghajnsielem u l-Qala flimkien. Fl-istess zmien, kien hemm fin-Nadur il-korp ta' Kristu mejjet li kien jitqieghed go urna akkwistata zmien qabel minghand il-Frangiskani Konventwali tal-Belt.
L-ewwel purcissjoni harget fl-1913 bit-thabbrik tal-Arcipriet Kan. Martin Camilleri. Fiha kienu harrgu bust tal-Ecce Homo li kellha l-parrocca sa mill-1752, id-Duluri li semmejna u l-korp ta' Kristu mejjet li kien sar gdid f'Bolzano l-Italja. Gie mwaqqaf l-ewwel kumitat tal-Gimgha l-Kbira li haseb biex jaghmel xi simboli tal-passjoni u sett bandalori bis-seba' kelmiet li qal Kristu fuq is-salib. Il-familji Nadurjani hasbu biex jahdmu fanali li kienu jgorruhom it-tfal taghhom. Kien jiehu sehem il-kor ta' Dun Anton Camilleri, muzicista maghruf u futur arcipriet tan-Nadur. It-toroq kienu jiddawlu bil-fjakkli.
Bejn l-1914 u l-1921 inhadmu sitt vari godda biex in-Nadur kellu l-ewwel sett tat-tmien vari tradizzjonali. L-istatwarju maghzul kien Karmnu Mallia minn Hal Qormi, lavrant u dixxiplu tal-maghruf Karlu Darmanin. Madankollu n-Nadurin ma damux ma bdew jahsbu ghal sett gdid ta' vari imma din id-darba ddecidew li jordnawhom minn Bolzano u jahdmuhom fl-injam. Hekk bejn l-1927 u l-1955 inbiddlu l-vari kollha ta' Mallia hlief il-Veronika.
Fil-bidu tas-sittinijiet tas-seklu li ghadda, il-purcissjoni ghamlet xi zmien ma tohrogx minhabba xi problemi li nqalghu, imbaghad bejn l-1968 u l-1975 regghet bdiet tohrog f'Hadd il-Palm biex wara regghet iccaqalqet ghall-gurnata proprja tal-Gimgha l-Kbira. Matul l-ahhar erbghin sena fin-Nadur sar hafna xoghol gdid kemm fil-vari kif ukoll fl-armar li jintuza ghall-purcissjoni. Il-purcissjoni kompliet tissebbah biz-zieda ta' persunaggi Biblici u suldati Rumani. Illum nistghu nghidu li l-Gimgha l-Kbira hija l-akbar festa wara l-Imnarja u n-Nadurin ikunu qed jistennewha b'herqa kbira.
Il-Purcissjoni tal-Gimgha l-Kbira fin-Nadur
Il-Gimgha 10 t'April 2009 fis-6.30pm
L-Ort
Kif diġa għidna fl-istorja tal-Purċissjoni f’dan ir-raħal, fl-1913, in-Nadurin qabbdu lil Karmnu Mallia magħruf bhala ‘l-Lhudi’ biex jaħdem l-ewwel sett ta’ vari għal dan ir-raħal. Naħsbu li l-vara tal-Ort tlestiet xi żmien wara l-1914. Din, madankollu, ġiet mibdula fl-1927 mal-vara li għadna nistgħu ngawwdu sal-lum, xogħol fl-injam ta’ Bolzano fl-Italja. Fl-1991, din il-vara ġiet immodifikata u rrestawrata mill-istatwarju Michael Camilleri Cauchi li għolla ‘l fuq u ressaq lejn ix-xellug il-figura ta’ Kristu.
This is the first of five statues which the parish of Nadur brought from Bolzano Italy . This one reached the island of Gozo in 1927 when it replaced a former work by Karmenu Mallia from 1914. Both the statues which are sculpted in wood were restored by local artist Michael Camilleri Cauchi in 1991.
It-Tradiment ta' Guda
Din il-vara espressiva hija l-aħħar żieda f’dan is-sett u ssawret mill-istatwarju Għawdxi Michael Camilleri Cauchi fl-1999.
This was the latest addition to the set of Good Friday statues . It is the work of Michael Camilleri Cauchi from 1999.
Ic-Cahda ta' Pietru
Ma setax jonqos li fil-Parroċċa ddedikata lil San Pietru u San Pawl, in-Nadurin ma jaħsbux għal vara li turi l-ewwel ragħaj tal-Knisja. Dan għamluh fl-1988 meta r-raħal kien qed jiċċelebra t-tliet mitt sena tiegħu bħala Parroċċa. Għal dan il-għan tqabbad l-istatwarju Michael Camilleri Cauchi li ħadem vara dinamika bi tliet figuri fejn Pietru jidher fil-mument ta’ djufija tiegħu meta ċaħad lil Kristu.
The parish of Nadur is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul and therefore did not hesitate to also include St Peter in the Good Friday procession. This statue was commissioned to artist Michael Camilleri Cauchi in 1988, the year when Nadur celebrated the third centinary of the establishment of its parish. The three figures in this dynamic group represent the moment when St Peter , upon seeing Jesus escorted by a soldier, realises the gravity of his denial, as Jesus had foretold a few hours before, during his Last Supper.
Il-Marbut
Dan huwa xogħol ieħor fl-injam miġjub minn Bolzano ftit wara l-1927. Il-vara ta’ qabel kienet miss-sett oriġinali ta’ Karmnu Mallia u saret wara l-1914.
This is a truly artistic wooden sculpture which was brought to Nadur from Bolzano in Italy sometime after 1927. Again this replaced the paper-mache' work of Karmnu Mallia.
Ecce Homo
Bħall-Marbut, din il-vara tal-injam inġiebet minn Bolzano bejn wieħed u ieħor fl-istess żmien jiġifieri ftit wara l-1927. Hadet post oħra ta’ Karmnu Mallia.
Similarly to the previous statue, this wooden sculpture was brought from Bolzano and joined the Nadur procession in 1927. It again replaced the work of Karmnu Mallia.
Ir-Redentur
Ir-Redentur li kien ħadem ‘il-Lhudi’ lejn l-1914 baqa’ jitgawda sal-1955 meta tlesta ieħor fl-injam mid-ditta Insam ta’ Bolzano. Ta’ min jinnota l-pożizzjoni unika ta’ Kristu f’din il-vara.
This is another beautiful work in wood which reached Nadur in 1955. It is again an Italian import and the work of Insam from Bolzano. One must remark that the position of the Redeemer is quite unusual in this statue.
Il-Veronika
Il-figura tal-Veronika hija l-uniku xogħol li għad fadal ta’ Karmnu Mallia fin-Nadur. Hija mis-sett oriġinali u nħaddmet xi żmien wara l-1914. Din il-vara ġiet restawrata minn Michael Camilleri Cauchi fl-1973 li ħadem ukoll il-figura tat-tifla iżda fl-1987.
This figure of Saint Veronika is the only one from the original set by Karmnu Mallia which still features in the Nadur procession. It was delivered by Mallia sometime after 1914. In 1973, the statue was restored by Michael Camilleri Cauchi, who later added the figure of the child on the right in 1987.
Il-Vara l-Kbira
Din il-vara b’ħames persunaġġi inħaddmet minn Michael Camilleri Cauchi u żżanżnet fl-1976 meta l-purċissjoni fin-Nadur reġgħet bdiet issir nhar il-Ġimgħa l-Kbira. Mal-karattri tas-soltu żdied iċ-ċenturjun Longinus. Il-vara l-antika jiġifieri dik tal-Lhudi tpoġġiet f’niċċa fiċ-centru tal-artal tal-Kurċifiss f’wieħed mill-kappelluni tal-knisja fejn għadna nistgħu ingawduha sal-lum.
This is another contribution by Michael Camilleri Cauchi which joined the Nadur procession in 1976. The Roman soldier in the foreground of this statuary group is the Centurion Longinus, who is thought to have pierced the side of Jesus with his spear, and later converted to Christianity.
Il-Monument
Il-korp ta' Kristu huwa xogħol ta' Bolzano u nġieb fl-1913 għall-ewwel purċissjoni. L-Urna nħaddmet mill-mastrudaxxa Naduri Ġużeppi Camilleri u l-iskultura hija xogħol Michael Camilleri Cauchi fuq id-disinn ta’ ħuh Pawlu. Iżżanżnet fl-1975.
The figure of the dead Christ is yet another import from Bolzano which joined the first procession in 1913. The wooden structure we see here was designed by Paul Camilleri Cauchi and sculpted by his brother Michael Camilleri Cauchi in 1975.
Id-Duluri
Din hi l-eqdem vara li għandu dan ir-raħal għalkemm tul iż-żmien saru diversi nterventi fuqha. Ma nafux min għamilha u meta saret għalkemm żgur kienet teżisti fl-1863 meta tqegħdilha sejf fuqha li jġib din id-data. Għandna informazzjoni li din ix-xbieha kienet tinħareġ f’pellegrinaġġi li kienu jiġu organizzati bejn in-Nadur, Għajnsielem u l-Qala flimkien. Għall-ħabta tal-1973, Michael Camilleri Cauchi għamel restawr fuq il-vara u sentejn wara Ġużeppi Cassar min Bormla ħadem stellarju tal-fidda.
This is the oldest statue in the Nadur procession, which surely existed as early as 1863 although its author is still unknown. It has undergone restoration several times , the latest by Michael Camilleri Cauchi in 1973.
