Once again, Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, Malta’s Heritage trust will be marking a tradition, this one dating back over 200 hundred years with a full-gun salute at the Saluting Battery in Valletta starting at 11.00hrs on Wednesday, 10th February 2010. This occasion is being held to rekindle an age, when major religious feasts were celebrated with gun salutes from the forts and fortifications of the island.
The principal feast for which gun salutes were provided from forts and fortifications was that of St. John’s – the patron saint of the Order of St. John and St. Paul, the national patron saint of the Maltese in the past. The number of rounds to be fired was dictated by a complicated protocol devised to offer respects according to a subject’s status and rank in society. In the case of St. Paul’s, who was one of the founding fathers of the Catholic faith, no restraint was placed on the scale of gun salutes.
With the arrival of the French in 1798, this tradition was abolished, however to be restored again by the English two years later. Nevertheless, the Protestant English did not approve of this practice which they considered as sheer idolatry. Little by little under the guise of the economy, they managedto first restrain the practice to certain days, llater managing to stamp it out completely.
The Saluting Battery is cared for by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, and in this case the Malta Tourism Authority and Bank of Valletta. Without the efforts of such organisations, many Maltese traditions would be lost forever.
One may locate this attraction by entering through the Upper Barracca Gardens and proceeding down the steps behind the central fountain.
An entrance fee of 5 Euros for adults, 4 Euros for Pensioners or students and 3 Euros for children will be charged, indirectly helping preserve traditions such as these for many years to come. Free transport to Fort Rinella in Kalkara and the Malta at War Museum in Vittoriosa will also be offered!
The programme is as follows; A guided tour of the Saluting Battery will commence at 11.00hrs. A full-gun salute will be fired to mark St Paul’s Day at 11.30hrs and this will be followed by the noon-day gun at 12.00hrs. The last guided tour will immediately after the noon-gun is fired. The event ends at 13.00hrs.
Those who wish to explore the foundations sites can make use of free transport departing from outside the Upper Barrakka Gardens after the event. Free Transport is provided to the Malta at war Museum and Fort Rinella returning to Valletta’s Main Bus Station at 16.00hrs.
For more information contact Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna on Tel: 21800992, 21803091 or email them directly at info@wirtartna.org
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