The Għaqda Dilettanti Mudelli tal-Knejjes has just inaugurated an exhibition of church models, statuettes and other religious-themed artefacts in Valletta.
The exhibition allows visitors to admire the minute details of the models on display such as those of churches made of wood, papier mâché or used matchsticks and Maltese limestone, or those of altars and Stations of the Cross.
This hobby goes back in time, as Vince Galea, president of the Għaqda Dilettanti Mudelli tal-Knejjes, explained.
“Church modelling dates back to the 16th or 17th century, when the Maltese islands were ruled by the Knights of St John,” he said.
“As the knights were a religious order approved by the pope, they tried to instil in the Maltese a love for religion and for all that is considered sacred, such as buildings, sculpture and paintings.
Galea further explained how most of the people in the Grand Harbour area earned their living as servants with the knights or with Maltese nobility, a number of whom used to have a small chapel annexed to their house. Others, who could not afford to have a room exclusively used as a chapel, often had what was known as a ‘portable altar’.
“This altar would be fixed in a sort of wardrobe or cupboard which, when closed, would complement the sitting room furniture. It wouldn’t look anything like an altar from the outside,” Galea pointed out.
Since many Maltese lived in extreme poverty, they could neither afford a chapel nor an altar and thus manifested their devotion via a shelf dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, known in Maltese as l-ixkaffa tal-Madonna.
Church modelling dates back to the 16th or 17th century
According to Galea, this marked the beginning of a hobby associated with church modelling.
“As time went by, people keen on decorating their shelf in an elaborate way started to build miniature church models, resembling their local parish church,” he said.
Galea also noted that since many church modelling enthusiasts lived in the harbour area, a considerable number of church models were damaged or destroyed during World War II, resulting in a loss of interest in the hobby.
“The hobby lost much of its lure. In the 1970s and early 1980s, only a few senior citizens were still keen on church modelling.”
This all changed in 1986, when three enthusiasts met in Floriana to see how they could revive the old tradition. They made an appeal on local newspapers and it was positively received. The Għaqda Dilettanti Mudelli tal-Knejjes was subsequently born.
“Today, almost 400 members form part of the Għaqda,” Galea said proudly.
The society organises various activities, with the aim of promoting the hobby, especially among the younger generations. They hold monthly meetings, during which professional tradesmen lecture members in specific skills like guilding, clay-designing and artificial flower-arranging known as ganutell.
The society also organises video forums where folklore experts lecture about traditional feasts and artistic heritage and publishes a bi-monthly magazine titled Il-Knisja Tiegħi (my church).
However, the society’s main activity is its annual exhibition in Valletta, which is held during the first two weeks of Lent. Around 100 members exhibit their works which they create meticulously from scratch.
This year’s display, held at St Augustine’s Hall, St John Street, Valletta, runs until March 14. It is open to visitors daily from 9.30am to 12.30pm and from 4.30 to 7.30pm.
