Għarus mal-Furjana u San Publju tagħha

Il-mixja ma’ San Publju
Għarus mal-Furjana u San Publju tagħha

Ritratt u rakkont ta’ Antoine Agius

Twelidt fl-1989 f’familja kollha kemm hi Furjaniża. Meta nimraħ fl-arkivji tal-qraba tiegħi, speċjalment dawk tan-nannu Antonio Agius (li għalkemm ma lħaqtux nafu mill-qrib) inħossni mmur lura fiż-żmien ta’ meta l-Furjana kienet mimlija familji, tfal, żgħażagħ u anzjani li rabtu ma’ qalbhom is-subborg, it-tim glorjuż tal-futbol, il-parroċċa u wisq aktar lil San Publju. F’dawn l-arkivji nduq, imqar jekk għal ftit, il-ferħ u l-entużjażmu ta’ missirijietna biex jgħożżu dak li jagħtihom identità. Trawwimt f’dan l-ambjent imdawwar bi fwieħa ta’ dokumenti qodma, oġġetti artistiċi u rakkonti ma jaqtgħu xejn. Kelli kull opportunità li nagħżel jew indawwar ħarsti lejn ħaġ’oħra, iżda kif għarus isib għarusa u jorbotha ma’ qalbu għal dejjem hekk inħoss li ġrali jien mal-Furjana u ma’ San Publju. Minn età żgħira kienet l-għaxqa tiegħi inkanta l-innu u l-antifona jien u ningħasar fil-folla quddiem l-istatwa ta’ San Publju.

Eżatt kif jgħaddi l-Għid il-Kbir, fil-Furjana kollox jibda jindika li ġejja l-festa; l-armar fil-knisja, fit-toroq, fil-gallariji u fuq kollox f’wiċċ il-Furjaniżi. Il-Ħadd ta’ qabel il-festa ssir purċissjoni b’Ġesù Sagramentat, wara quddiesa fejn jiġu mistiedna l-Furjaniżi ta’ barra u l-ħruġ tal-vara min-niċċa.

Fit-Tnejn ta’ qabel, il-festa ssir il-festa popolari tat-tfal, tradizzjoni li aktarx bdiet mill-Furjana. F’din il-festa ssir quddiesa u wara manifestazzjoni bi statwa ċkejkna u antika ta’ San Publju li jġorruha t-tfal. Fil-ġranet tat-tridu l-Furjaniżi jattendu bi ħġarhom biex jisimgħu il-prietka u jassistu għall-antifona. Fl-aħħar jum tat-tridu titkanta l-antifona l-antika ta’ San Publju u Tantum Ergo magħruf bħala ‘tat-tfal’, xogħol mużikali mill-isbaħ. Dakinhar stess issir manifestazzjoni oħra bi statwa ta’ San Publju li tilħaq il-qofol tagħha f’Balzunetta. Lejliet il-festa ssir it-translazzjoni u quddiesa solenni, wara jsir il-festival popolari tan-nar tal-art, fi pjazza San Publju (il-fosos). F’jum il-festa jsir il-pontifikal solenni mill-E.T. Mons. Arċisqof fil-preżenza ta’ dinjitarji oħra, li wara lkoll jimxu lejn il-każin tas-soċjetà Filarmonika Vilhena għal ċerimonja qasira u riċeviment annwali. Għall-ħabta tas-1.00pm isir marċ brijuż mat-toroq tal-Furjana.

Il-qofol jintlaħaq il-Ħadd filgħaxija bil-ħruġ tal-vara artistika ta’ San Publju, xogħol l-iskultur Malti Vincenzo Dimech. Il-festa tagħlaq fl-atmosfera unika tad-dħul tal-vara lura fil-knisja, fost il-ferħ, l-għajjat u ċ-ċapċip tal-Furjaniżi u l-folla miġbura. F’dak il-mument, iċ-ċaqliq armonjuż tal-vara, il-mużika tal-antifona tal-Mro. Vincenzo Bugeja u l-għajjat imqanqal tal-folla bħal jingħaqdu id f’id u flimkien joħolqu taħlità ta’ emozzjonijiet, wara kollox din hi l-art li fiha trabbejna, mdawrin ma’ ħutna l-Furjaniżi u ma’ Publju li mexa magħna l-mixja kollha.

A Walk with St Publius
Betrothed to Floriana and her Saint Publius

Ritratt u rakkont ta’ Antoine Agius

I was born in 1989, into a family that all hails from Floriana. As I explore the archives of my relatives, especially those of my grandpa Antonio Agius (whom I’ve never met, but still know well), I go back in time, in my mind, to the days where Floriana was full of families, children, adults young and old, who have Floriana truly in their hearts, its glorious football team, the parish, and most importantly, Saint Publius. Through these archives, I can taste, even if it’s for a short while, the happiness and enthusiasm of our fathers to preserve and love all that shapes who they are, their identity. I’ve been brought up like this, in the odours and perfumes of old documents, artistic works, and immortal stories. I’ve had all the opportunities in the world to change course, but Floriana and Saint Publius are my first and forever loves. Even at a young age, I used to look forward to singing the hymn and the antiphon with all my heart, in the middle of the bustling crowd in front of the statue of Saint Publius.

Just after Easter, the excitement in Floriana starts to brew – the festa is approaching; the decorations in the church, the streets, the balconies…and after all, the glittering faces of the people. On the Sunday before the festa, there is a procession with the Holy Sacrament, coupled with a mass where all the Furjaniżi living outside the town are invited, as well as the celebrated exit of the statue from its niche.

The day after, so Monday before the festa, there’s the ‘festa popolari tat-tfal’ (the popular children’s feast), a tradition that has likely been born in Floriana. The festa is celebrated with a mass and a manifestation with a small and antique statue of Saint Publius borne by the kids. In the days leading up to the festa, the people of Floriana flock to the church to listen to the sermon and attend to the antiphon. On the last day of the Triduum, we sing the old antiphon of Saint Publius and the Tantum Ergo (known as ‘tat-tfal’, for the kids), a most beautiful musical endeavour. On that day, we also host another manifestation with the statue of Saint Publius that reaches its peak in the Balzunetta area of the town. On the eve of the feast, there’s the translation and a solemn mass, which is followed by a festival of fireworks (let off in the main square). And, on the day itself, a solemn pontificate is celebrated by His Excellency Mons. Archibishop of Malta in the presence of other dignitaries, who then all walk towards the każin of the Soċjetà Filarmonika Vilhena (the local band club) for a short ceremony and annual reception. At 1:00pm, a merry march takes place in the streets of Floriana.

The heart of the feast – Sunday evening. The artistic statue of Saint Publius, the work of Maltese artist Vincenzo Dimech, exits the church, held high to salute the crowds, and only when it returns to its niche does the feast end, amid all the clapping, shouting and sheer happiness of all those around him. In that moment, in the harmonious light swinging of the statue as it is borne on the shoulders of many devotees, the music of the antiphon of Mro. Vincenzo Bugeja and the loud crowds hand in hand, altogether, create a whirl of emotions. After all, this is the land we were born on, surrounded by our brothers and sisters of Floriana and with Publius who’s walked this journey with us.