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Anglican Chaplaincy
in Malta & Gozo |
| Our Lady and St George's ~ History |
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St George and the Dragon;
Virgin Mary;The School of Father Robert de Caluwe, Finland.
School of Novgorod St. Petersberg, 15th century.
Based
on the Byzantine Theotokos ‘Hodigitria’ (Guide, or
indicator of the
way).
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The Eucharist celebrating the Dedication of the Anglican Congregation
on Gozo
to Our Lady & St George took place at the Basilica of St George, Gozo, on the Feast of St George the Martyr 23rd April 2005 "I
am delighted to be able to write that Bishop Geoffrey has now agreed to
the request for a Gozitan dedication to the glory of God and in honour
of “Our Lady and St George”, As that’s really rather a mouthful, we’ll
no doubt contract it to St George’s Gozo.
St George is of course the patron of all sorts of places, but for our present purposes the two that matter are England and Gozo. It is particularly fitting therefore that he be include in the list and all the more so since the links between our Congregation and the Parish of St George’s Basilica have been deepened by the first of a series of ecumenical gatherings. Our Lady fits for all sorts of reasons. Leave aside the knee-jerk prejudice that is the legacy of Reformation battles and the plain facts are she is uniquely privileged as the God-bearer, that the Angel described her-and who are we to contradict-as highly favoured (St Luke 1.28), that Jesus himself took thought for her in his last moments (St John 19.25-27), and that the Apostles reckoned her a fit companion in the Upper Room as they waited the day of Pentecost (Acts 1.14). Her example is hardly something to sniff at! Beyond that, there is a further ecumenical gesture in Gozo’s situation. The island’s Cathedral bears her dedication and so we pay a double complement to the society in which we are visitors by including her. There are two other, less obvious, considerations in all this. This part of the diocese looks to the Pro-Cathedral as its mother church: and familiarity shouldn’t breed contempt or make us less aware of the significance of this. The cathedral’s Sacrament Chapel bears formal dedication-as the plaque by the Royal Marine screen reminds us-precisely to Our Lady and St George. The repetition of that on Gozo ties the congregation not just to Gozo, then, but also properly to its mother church. Beyond that, is the rather abstruse historical link. England’s most significant place of modern pilgrimage is Walsingham in deepest Norfolk and Our Lady of Walsingham is known to English Roman Catholics as Our Lady of Ransom. The name dates back to the days when she was the patroness of a society devoted to raising money to ransom English captives of Barbary raiders rowing as galley slaves. Given the context of the proximity of Gozo to the Barbary Coast and local history, this dedication to Our Lady seem no less appropriate on grounds of shared significance than that to St George." Fr Tom Mendel.
Senior Chaplain & Chancellor of St Paul's Pro-Cathedral, Valletta ~ January 2005 Anglicans and
other English speaking Christians have been meeting together on Gozo
for many years. Around the 1970's, Miss E. Sevenoaks saw a need and went to see the
Chancellor of St Paul's Pro-Cathedral, resulting in a regular Anglican
monthly weekday service. By the 1980's Mrs Hilda Robinson was playing a
leading role maintaining services on Gozo. Mr Arthur Walsh, a licensed
Reader, came to holiday on Gozo in 1978 and he took part in Anglican services held
at Manresa House. In 1993, Arthur aided by Robert (Steve) Stevenson, a Lay
Assistant, and
encouraged by the Chaplain, Canon Philip Cousins, started a regular "Songs of
Praise", and Steve also started an Anglican Carol Service, both at the Calypso Hotel in
Marsalforn. Around this time, Bishop Coleman, a Canadian, was also able
to help with Anglican services.
Fr Victor Albutt a retired priest living on Gozo, held a Lenten series in his home in 1989. From 1991 more regular services were held for the first time in the Chapel of the Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Seminary in Victoria. At first the Eucharist was celebrated monthly, and then fortnightly, and assistance was initially given by Fr Victor Albutt. Throughout these years regular and occasional visitors joined the "resident Anglicans" and attendances grew to a point where there was a need for weekly services. From Lent 2003 the Eucharist has been held each Wednesday and with additional services at special occasions, by the Chaplains from Malta. From September 2007 an additional service of Compline-Night Prayer was introduced on the first Sunday of the month at Manresa Retreat House Chapel. The Dedication in 2005 of this, the third congregation of the Chaplaincy in Malta and Gozo was promoted and supported by the Chancellor of St Paul's Pro-Cathedral - Canon Tom Mendel (2004 - 2008). Chaplaincy Wardens
Mr Tony Prescott (1999-2005) Mr Andy Scott (2005- and was blessed during the Eucharist service in the Basilica of St George, Victoria. On the first Anniversary 23rd April 2006, a Diptych of Icons, pictured above, were blessed during the St George’s Day Patronal service at Gharb Basilica.They were purchased from donations, and were made and painted by Marianne Hacquebard, a Dutch artist, with close ties to Gozo.
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StGHISTORY page ~
http://www.anglicanmalta.org
© Anglican Chaplaincy in Malta &
Gozo
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October / 2008
designed + edited by Andy Scott |