New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-01
THE SAINTS OF MALTA.

II.
-, -, ,Cc,stoS,I CORRESPONDENT OF rHH TRIBUNE
VhoANN VALLETTA Malta, May =
This is the season of the year when SAINTS o"f'
ore the most frequent in Malta; ana there are i"o'c
saints in the Maltese calendar than arc dieneu VI
~ Protestant theology Many OF the saints nave
-, o,.in and renown only hut because they were
bome bodies and did not scatter the beauty OF ther
bolipess over other lands and peoples such saints
arc held IN this tight and bright little Island III per
hans higher and more sincere aud aiectonate revei-
,ce on that very account Then there Is s,ii less
order of saints saints of the household, whose mum
bic and retiring Influences are shed onlN "ilh INV
circle Of Maltese homes ! saw a cheap Htlie pI'"'
of one such in the scant dwelling of n poor but pouS
Maltese woman not long since III was II'h'" III
pebbles and shells and surrounded win small
forrest of thin candles ready TO light on the occur
renee of an anniversary. This saint was born ana ana
useful deeds of charity and finally died OF the
plaeue while in the act of ministering bodily ana
spiritual comfort to her stricken countrymen on tins
;sIa,d She had never been out of Malta Ter
sweet and gracious memory saiuted her. She has no
fame OTHER than that OF locality. but her very low
lkss and unpretending position I'D the caIehuar
makes her an ideal SAINT
Standing very near 10 ST. Paul in the numerous
galaxy of saints is san Public. SAINTS Paul ana
Publius are knitted close together IN Maltese minds
In tho ancient walled city OF Cltta Nocchla LOT
Notable as the natives continue 10 call III re-
centlv visited the grotto. holy and miraculous
place" in which ST. Paul lived for three months IN
company with St. Luke. st. Troplimus and the rest
Of his blessed and glorious companions over TINS
orotto Grand Master Wiguacourt, of the Order oil
the Knights erected o church at his own expense
and called il "the Church Of st. Publius and the
Sacred Grotto of st. Paul" lou cannot get 10 81
Paul without going through st. Publius-as 1t were
The miraculous character of the grotto was demon
strated TO Inc by Fra versatile, who told me now
though the grotto had been used as quarry AT
different periods and much stone from It's natural
walls taken away. still it has always remained OF
the sane size as when St Paul occupied it, The
reason given me why ST. PAM dwelt i'll this rude
cave although the inhabitants received him
kindly" WAS that the people were still wor-
shippcrs of heather gods, and skill, patience and
care and some secrecy were necessary at first III IN
PRODUCING the new religion" The cathedral OF st.
Peter and ST. Paul stands on the spot where Publus
lived.
In order that might obtain more knowledge OF
St Publius and of his career than was possessed
Of | applied TO my good and knowing fr!eno MT
atom" Vella who belonging to an old and ex-
celent Nfssese family and being staunch and true
Roman Catholic of extensive reading, most kindly
favored me with the information that follows
viii quote his own words:
aWhcn St Paul, on his way to Rome, there 10 be
tried as a scditious Roman subject was wrecked on
our shores he and all the people " no were IN the
same ship were received by the Maltese population
with the greatest hospitality and respect, as all MS
torians amongst whom St. Lucas Cwho was an eye
witness, UNANIMOUSLY confirm The regning prince
of Malta at that time Publius. by many writers
said TO have belonged to a Maltese family and by
Others of Grecian birth This prince, whose talents
and knowledge had been great as TO make him
sftcr some time TO he elected Bishop of Athens-in
those days the seat of literature and culture OF the
fine arts-was of the first in the island to aban
don idoatry and follow the evangelical precepts
which had begun to Dc opened all over the world
sWhcn ST. Paul landed at the Kaa st PauPs
Bayl, after having proyidentialy performed the
inrsclc of the Viper. his prOdgous feat was that OF
delivering Pubuss father from an illness which he
had been suffering from long time and which 1t.
Paul l,y simply placing both his hands on the old
mans head and uttctiug short PRAYER to Heaven,
had the consolation Of seeing at once disappear
Giving thusa proof of the holiness OF the precePs OF
The religion he was preaching. The conversion of
Publiu, and his father led a great part OF the potu
lation to embrace Christianity at once; and 1t.
Panl on leaving Malta after stay of three months
during " hch he had succeeded IN firmly establish
ing the principles of the new creed. appointed
Pnbiius the Chief Priest. or Bishop of Malta. sure
10 leave i'm him a strong NJ holder of Christ anu ".
But Publiuss zeal and plety were soon made
known to the Continent. and as Dionysiuo. Bishop
Of Athens had OF late suffered martyrdom, he was
sent to that city there to conti!uc the work com
menced BY his predecessor, and to meet Likewise
with "a glorious end. by shedding his blood IN the
defence of the Christian faith
@Tradition records the place whore -. pubius
lad his paatal residence which, it is sac, sltu-
atcd at Notable on the site where the cathedral
church now stands and where ~. Paul and the
other people who came with him, PIG in all, We're
sheltered few years ago the remains of a richly
decorated old mansion in the vicinity were dis
covered and are supposed TO have been when
whole the summer residence of ST. PubIns
.Ths saint is said to have been martyred at
Athens by being plunged in a den and there de-
yorrcd by lions, but there are no existing docu-
ments that speak of the manner OF his death. That
he suffered death by lions SIS however universally
believed by the Maltese though the Martyroogium
OF the Saints of the Roman Catholic Church affords
no information about it,
Now on Sunday, the 2Gth OF April. the Festival Of
San Public you can't make mistake in the spell
ing of tie irst Bishop Of Matas name, even if you
do it in four ways reaches its climax for Its cele-
Lraton extends through five days. The religious
ceremonies and music during the four days preccd-
ing Sunday were attended by the inhabitants OF
Tloriana and Nactta with their customary tcrvorA
happy soemnity marked the bearing of the wor-
shipping thrOngs aud sort of suppressed spicndor
was visible throughout the rites. The huge stone
church dedicated to san Public stands in the sub
u1b OF Nalletta Known as Florana aud Floriana
was the name of the Papal engineer who in 1888
designed the extensive Notifications that encompass
tho place. Directly in front Of tie church hes a
stone paved plaza which forms the famous s1nken
gTauaros built by the Knights, slll used to store
gran m by the British garrison. One Of these 5OSoe
that had been overlooked was opened not long since
and the grain that had been put into II 200 years
ago was found to be sound and sweet. Over these
JOsse the people stroll up and down and band often