All about Żejtun

Publisher: Wirt Iż-Żejtun / 2024 Pages: 240

It is good to see that more and more local councils and other bodies are promoting books about their localities. There is a wealth today of information and research about each and every locality and it is a pity that not more local councils sponsor this kind of research and publication.

This heavy and big book, of coffee table dimensions, is not the only publication published recently by Żejtun organisations and the local council. In this case there was the initiative by the local heritage NGO Wirt Iż-Żejtun, which has sponsored 14 other books before this.

This publication was also co-financed by the European Union through the Leader Programme Measure 3 – Promotion of the Cultural Heritage administered by the Gal Xlokk Foundation, which goes to show that there are funds available for those who bother to look for them.

The book is written by Vincent Zammit who wrote a detailed and well-researched write-up but it is the incredible photos by Daniel Cilia, who also contributed to the book’s design, that put the book head and shoulders above comparative efforts.

In particular, the photo of the Paschal full moon rising behind the Żejtun parish church on Maundy Thursday 2023, merits pride of place. The Gozitan photographer must have waited for a long time in the March-April cold night to get the right shot.

Similarly the book’s front cover shows the Żejtun parish church still all lit up as the sun rises over the not-so-distant sea on the feast day in June, a shot taken from the air.

President George Vella, who lived in Żejtun all through his life, except during his presidential term, contributed a foreword written just a month before he ended his term.

The book is broadly divided into three parts – first the history of the locality starting from prehistoric times whose remains are to be found around the locality. The original territory of which today’s Żejtun is only the remaining core included the areas that today we know as Żabbar, Ħal Għaxaq, Marsascala, Xagħjra, Marsaxlokk, St George’s Bay and Delimara. This was the original Terra Sanctae Catharine, as it is found in medieval maps.

There are many historic remains from pre-historic times spread around and many more may have been covered up and obliterated over time. Any excavation taking place today ought to be closely monitored.

Today, Żejtun comprises what were once small hamlets during medieval times that have become joined together in one big conurbation – Ħal Bisqallin (where the Sicilians? lived), Ħal Gwann, Ħal Biżbud and Ħal Tmien as well as Ħal Ġinwi and Raħal Għadir. Other localities, today lost, were Bulebel il-Kbir, Il-Qasam, Wied ta’ Mazza, Wied iż-Żring, Ġebel San Martin, IlMinzel, Ħajt il-Wied, Ħal Tmikki, Ta’ Ganza, IlGwiedi, Il-Ħerba, Ħal Bajda and Misraħ Strejnu.

After the Turkish raid of 1614 with the devastation of the old St Catherine church (known by one and all as San Girgor), the villagers began to build the present-day parish church, situated equidistant from all the previous hamlets.

In the second chapter the book rambles around the old, narrow and serpentine streets found in the village core and describes the numerous old churches and houses to be found there.

Compared to other localities in Malta, the Żejtun village core has thankfully remained relatively untouched. The old, narrow and serpentine streets are undoubtedly a challenge to find parking and sometimes even to pass through but elsewhere in the civilised world such areas are preserved and protected.

And hidden away in such streets one finds veritable jewels such as Torri Vendome, Aedes Danielis and Villa Curmi. Fortunately, the book gives us a rare view of the chapel of Villa Cagliares, built by a former bishop, but unfortunately it does not give us a look inside Sant’Ang church and the tomb of Girgor Bonici and the very rich nearby church of Our Lady of Good Counsel. The nearby street, Ta’ Tavlin, reminds us of the Maltese rendering of de Vilhena for the grandmaster.

The third and final chapter takes us through the calendar of events that take place throughout the year, including the installation earlier this year of the new archpriest Can. Anton GaleaScannura.

This book should find a place in every house in Żejtun and it would also make an excellent gift to send abroad.