Jesus the Redeemer Statue

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Location: Isla

The miraculous statue of Jesus the Redeemer attracts various devotees every year. Unfortunately, one cannot say when it was made and who was the artist who created it because there aren’t any clear documentations. Over the years, the statue attracted thousands of people who sought refuge in prayers. In 1715 the confraternity of the Holy Crucifix was founded, and it decided to build a niche in its oratory for the statue. This was built between 1731 and 1733 so that people could visit the Redeemer throughout the whole year. In 1813 Malta was fighting the Plague epidemic. People of Senglea made a vow that if Senglea was to be delivered from the pestilence, they would hold three processions every year. The three processions were that of Maria Bambina on 8th September, that of St Roque on the Sunday after the feast of the Assumption and that of Jesus the Redeemer on the third Sunday after Pentecost. Their prayers were heard, and these processions have been held ever since. The statue of Jesus the Redeemer was taken out in pilgrimages in special circumstances such as that of 15th May 1814 as a thanksgiving pilgrimage following the deliverance of Senglea from the plague of 1813. Since Senglea was a prime target during the Second World War the Redeemer statue was taken for safe keeping to St Helen’s collegiate church and was brought back to Senglea in a pilgrimage on 9th July 1944 when the war was finally over. In collaboration with Kottonera Foundation

L-istatwa mirakoluża ta’ Ġesù Redentur tattira diversi devoti kull sena. Sfortunatament, wieħed ma jistax jgħid meta saret u min kien l-artist li ħoloqha għax m'hemmx dokumentazzjonijiet ċari. Matul is-snin, l-istatwa ġibdet eluf ta’ nies li fittxew kenn fit-talb. Fl-1715 twaqqfet il-konfraternità tal-Kurċifiss Imqaddes, u ġie deċiż li tinbena niċċa fl-oratorju għall-istatwa. Dan inbena bejn l-1731 u l-1733 sabiex in-nies ikunu jistgħu jżuru r-Redentur matul is-sena kollha. Fl-1813 Malta kienet qed tiġġieled l-epidemija tal-Pesta u n-nies tal-Isla għamlu wegħda li jekk l-Isla kellha tinħeles mill-pestilenza, huma jagħmlu tliet purċissjonijiet kull sena. It-tliet purċissjonijiet kienu dik ta’ Maria Bambina fit-8 ta’ Settembru, dik ta’ San Rokku l-Ħadd ta’ wara l-festa tal-Assunta u dik ta’ Ġesù Redentur fit-tielet Ħadd wara l-Pentekoste. It-talb tagħhom instema', u dawn il-purċissjonijiet bdew isiru minn dak iż-żmien. L-istatwa ta’ Ġesù Redentur ittieħdet f’pellegrinaġġi f’ċirkostanzi speċjali bħal fil-15 ta’ Mejju 1814 bħala pellegrinaġġ ta’ ringrazzjament wara l-ħelsien tal-Isla mill-pesta tal-1813. Peress li l-Isla kienet mira ewlenija matul it-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija l-istatwa tar-Redentur kienet ittieħed biex jinżamm fil-knisja kolleġġjali ta' Sant'Elena u nġieb lura l-Isla f'pellegrinaġġ fid-9 ta' Lulju 1944 meta fl-aħħar spiċċat il-gwerra. B’kollaborazzjoni mal-Fondazzjoni Kottonera.