Saint Ġorġ Preca, diocesan priest and first canonized saint from Malta and founder of the Society of the Christian Doctrine (MUSEUM), contributed greatly in infusing within the Maltese society and wherever the Maltese emigrated the authentic spirit of Christmas.
Suffice to look at the earliest days of December 1921, when Fr Ġorġ, completely open to the Holy Spirit, received the inspiration of doing a demonstration with the Babe of Bethlehem’s statue on Christmas Eve. Without knowing, Fr Ġorġ Preca set the ball rolling for a tradition that would become part and parcel with the Maltese faith, culture and history.
When Fr Ġorġ Preca shared his God-given inspiration with the Hamrun centres of the Society of the Christian Doctrine as well as the members of the Marsa and Blata l-Bajda centres he told them: This year I want you to organise a demonstration with Baby Jesus. Soon the members consented to his proposal. Through this demonstration of faith Fr Ġorġ Preca wanted to celebrate in public the powerful words Jesus said to Nicodemus who came to speak to him at night: God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Let us not forget that Fr Ġorġ Preca was deeply in love with the mystery of the incarnation of Jesus Christ. He treasured immensely the Gospel words taken from St John’s Prologue: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14), in Latin Verbum Dei caro factum est. These most holy words became the motto of the Society of the Christian Doctrine and, on his personal wish, became the badge of the members of the same society.
The first Superior General of the Society, Eugene Borg, used to say that Fr Ġorġ would walk with him at the then countryside of Santa Venera and he would share with fervour the Bible and especially the prologue of St John’s Gospel. Regarding the prologue Fr Ġorġ Preca shared with Eugene Borg: These verses are difficult but they are the basis of our religion.
In his love for the mystery of the incarnation Fr Ġorġ Preca faithfully trailed the path designated by St Francis of Assisi when, in 1223, built the first Christmas crèche in the Italian village of Greccio. In that respect Fr Preca was the Maltese version of that special Christmas which occurred some seven hundred years later. Just imagine the streets of Ħamrun filled with people whilst the members of the MUSEUM carried a statue of the divine infant. With their chants and lights they were powerfully proclaiming God’s incarnation in the person of Jesus Christ. Walking closely on St Francis’ example, Christmas was the feast which embraced everyone because everyone has become the subject of God’s salvation by the Son of God made human like you and me.
Completely taken by Fr Ġorġ’s extraordinary idea they took it on board and made it their own. A member managed to borrow a Baby Jesus statue from the Conventual Franciscan Friary, at Republic Street in Valletta. The powerful fire of the Holy Spirit illuminated those men and women of faith. Countless were the people who accompanied the statue of Baby Jesus with candle lanterns and bicycle lamps alike while some members of the MUSEUM made paper balls and palm leaves to embellish the celebration. The Ħamrun residents were in the seventh heaven celebrating this first Christmas Eve demonstration in the streets of their town. Even if in their enthusiasm they did not manage to get a police permit; however the celebration flowed peacefully. It was a clear sign that Jesus simply wanted it to occur.
History has it that during that first demonstration with Baby Jesus in Ħamrun a MUSEUM member lovingly cradled the statue of Baby Jesus in his hands whilst the children animated the procession with the traditional carols Adeste Fidelis and the great Maltese hymn specifically dedicated to the Baby Jesus Ninni La Tibkix Iżjed (Sleep and do not cry). With what affectionate ties this genial carol has been connected with the MUSEUM demonstration with Baby Jesus. Its melodious refrain simply lights the dark days of the Maltese winter and filled with joy the members of the Society of the MUSEUM and the residents who took part in this demonstration with great faith and love.
The history of this demonstration is rather interesting. At some point Fr Ġorġ Preca preferred that this demonstration takes place on every 25th day of the month at each Centre of the MUSEUM. However such an event was not possible since it would coincide with Holy Week as well as Easter. Fr Ġorġ’s ardent love for the mystery of the Incarnation led him to institute the Adoration of the Verbum Dei every 25th of the month to take the place of one of the usual prayers MUSEUM members pray on a daily basis.
The great news about the demonstration with the Baby Jesus is that it went far beyond Ħamrun and today it is celebrated in every locality of Malta and Gozo. By time it got organized, having a sizable statue of Baby Jesus placed in a manger, surrounded by lights and banners worded with messages connected to Jesus’ Birth. The centre of attention at the demonstration was the phrase Verbum Dei caro factum est (The Word of God was made Flesh). This acclamation powerfully announced the incarnation of Christ. As it was expected, this procession not only became one of the most beautiful Christmas customs in Malta but it also spread like wildfire where the MUSEUM was founded such in Australia, Cuba, Perù, England, Poland, Kenya and Albania.
From this fact one can fairly deduce that St Ġorġ Preca was the Apostle of the Verbum Dei. For Fr Ġorġ, the moment of the Annunciation was so important that he commissioned twice the Maltese artist Rafel Bonnici Calì to capture artistically that most blessed instant when she said her Fiat to God, full of trust and joy at the invitation by the angel to become the Mother of God the Saviour. We know that this painting, depicting that shining radiance which came from Mary’s bosom in the moment of entering into her virginal womb, is commonly called the Madonna of the Verbum Dei. The MUSEUM badge, the Verbum Dei, which is worn by the Society members, is a clear example of Fr Ġorġ’s ardent love for the Incarnation of the Son of God. Fr Ġorġ wished that everyone would wear the Verbum Dei badge, not just the MUSEUM members. This second father in faith for the Maltese Islands and elsewhere propagated the words Verbum Dei through cards which contained this saving message and given to people at large. Throughout the history of the Baby Jesus’ demonstration even children were handed a flower containing the words Verbum Dei.
On the example of St Francis of Assisi, Fr Ġorġ greatly encouraged that every family should have a crib with the Holy Babe of Bethlehem set up in a part of the house. Furthermore, he also exhorted the MUSEUM members to give a crib with Baby Jesus to every boy and girl who attend one of its Centres. When I was a child I used to help in plastering crèche figures and painting them to be given as gifts for the children.
Although time has passed, the importance of the Baby Jesus demonstration is still there. In fact, the need today to help increase the people’s interest concerning the reality and mystery of the Incarnation is only increasing. We need more and more to go back to the Incarnation, which is the very essence of this holy feast of Christmas. Fr Ġorġ Preca felt this some hundred years ago within the town of Ħamrun. He wanted to inspire people to reflect more deeply on God’s love which impelled him to take our flesh and become one of us. How much we need to recover this huge truth of Incarnation! It is in proclaiming that Jesus is Lord that we are saved. Let us keep organizing these Baby demonstrations and sing our cultural lullabies to Jesus (as the Maltese have the Ninni La Tibkix Iżjed) during these processions of faith. It is thanks to such demonstrations that faith is awakened and we are saved by what we celebrated, namely by those most powerful words VERBUM DEI CARO FACTUM EST.