January 2025 - Protecting our homes is something that we do naturally. From locks on our doors and windows to burglar alarms and cameras linked to our mobile phones so that we can see what going on wherever we are in the world - regardless of whether we can do anything about it - today, technology takes care of it all, in one way or the other.
A few hundred years ago and long before technology was even a word, let alone actually existed, people put their faith into something completely different. In those days people were less bothered about their property getting broken into and more concerned with warding off evil spirits or misdirecting any misfortune that may have been heading their way. This meant having a talisman or amulet displayed prominently either inside the house, or more often, at the entrance. The Greeks and Turks believed that the Nazar, or evil eye, would be enough to do the job, whereas Jewish tradition suggested that you put your faith and trust in the Hand of Miriam or Fatima.
Horseshoes were quite common across America, as long as the ends were pointed upwards, to catch the good luck, as were dreamcatchers, although they were more likely to be hung over the bed, to keep away bad dreams and nightmares. Irish folklore would dictate that a four-leaf clover would prevent anything bad from happening to you, and bring you good luck in the process, although anyone finding one would be more likely to carry it with them than display it over the door, just for safe keeping.
In Malta, they’ve always chosen to put their faith into Niċċa, or Niches, as we would know them, and not content with merely hanging some trinket over the front door, they went the extra mile and incorporated something more substantial into the fabric of the building.
The original idea began during the Knights of St. John, back in the 16th Century, when the Grand Master of the time, Pietro del Monte, decreed that homes should be decorated with a statue or the family’s coat of arms. These became what are now known as niċċa. Originally they were confined to the capital, Valletta, and the three cities of Cospicua, Senglea and Vittoriosa, just across the water, but as with all fashions and trends however, it wasn’t long before word spread that visibly paying homage to Jesus, the Virgin Mary or your towns Patron Saint could keep you safe and ward off the plagues and diseases that Malta seemed to suffer from on a regular basis for more than a hundred and fifty years. Over 3,000 people lost their lives to one plague that came from Egypt in the late 1590’s, but that was small in comparison to another that was thought to have come from North Africa and caused over 11,000 suffer the same fate, eighty or so years later.
This sent the deeply religious Maltese into a frenzy with houses everywhere starting to have some sort of talisman fashioned, usually to the right of the front door, or if you were lucky enough to live on a corner, something of considerable size, placed higher up to watch over your home from all directions.
It was these larger niċċa, that soon became landmarks, an aid for direction, a local meeting place and a place for prayer, when the church wasn’t open or there wasn’t one nearby. In time they took on an extra meaning as they became a status symbol and an opportunity for a merchant or a local official to display their wealth and prosperity.
Their attraction has waned over the last few decades as Malta experienced a construction boom, but instead of the quaint little houses that you’ll still find in the outlying towns and villages, the tendency has been for high rise hotels and apartments - and without any care for cultural aspects or the need to ward off evil spirits. The tourists can look after themselves, it would seem. This eventually caused quite a commotion amongst the Maltese however, who saw their cultural heritage being wiped away in the desire to cater for the ever-growing tourist population that ‘invaded’ their tiny island each year. Many niċċa were lost as homes were demolished in the name of progress, so the government brought in a law which stated that whilst a building could be replaced by a new development, the niċċa had to be carefully removed, protected and either relocated or incorporated into the design of the new building. Law or no law, this more often than not, didn’t happen.
A few years ago, the local council in Sliema, in association with the Rotary Club La Valette, spent more than €34,000 restoring more than a dozen niċċa around the town, that had either been painted over too many times in an attempt to spruce them up a bit, and the original detail lost, or nothing had been done to them at all and the elements had taken their toll over the years.
Perhaps the biggest project undertaken, certainly in financial terms, was the restoration of St. Paul’s niche in Saqqajja, just outside of Rabat. For almost 300 years it stood proud at the main gateway to the town, now with tree lined villas opposite, complete with an original British red telephone box (sadly phone-less and in need of a bit of restoration itself ) and as foreground interest to some of the most magnificent panoramic views, looking towards Żebbuġ and Marsaxlokk, that Malta has to offer, but also on one of the main bus routes and drop off points for the many visitors to Rabat and the silent city of Mdina; causing it to suffer rather badly, but after many months of painstaking restoration and a mere €60,000, it once again maintains the prominence that it had when it was first built by the Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena all those years ago.
Bizarrely, for such a prominent niċċa however, St Paul is nowhere to be seen on the outside *, and the only reference to him is on the plaque that tells you exactly what it is and who it’s for !
So, if you visit Malta - and you should as it’s a wonderful country - keep your eyes open and your head up and look out for the niċċa. You’ll be surprised to find that they’re actually everywhere. Some are quite subtle and some are blatantly ostentatious, so take a moment to admire the artistry and detail, say a prayer even, and you never know, it might even bring you good luck or keep an unknown evil at bay.
* Okay, I’ll let you into the secret. St. Paul is inside the niċċa, and you have to put your nose up against the grill and peer through the glass to see him – but only if you have a step ladder with you, as the base of the ‘window’ alone is 3m high ! !
