Bishop Emeritus Kicanas visiting Europe

Though enjoying a well-earned retirement, Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas continues to find inspiration in his summer travels. This month he's visiting religious sites in Europe and wanted to share his experiences with readers in the Diocese of Tucson. In the spirit of keeping our community connected, here's an update on where his journey has taken him.  


Malta is an island nation in the Mediterranean Sea, made up of three principal islands: Malta, Gozo, and Comino. Its largest island, Malta, is home to the capital city of Valletta. Though small, the archipelago has long held a strategic place in the region, which explains why so many empires, nations, and sovereign orders sought to control it, including the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Normans. Malta was later ruled by the French and the British before achieving independence in 1964 and becoming a republic in 1974, with both a president and a prime minister. 

During his missionary journeys, St. Paul was shipwrecked on Malta while traveling to Rome as a prisoner in AD 60. It is said that he stayed on the island for approximately one year and three months. While there, he survived a viper’s bite, healed many people, and brought Christianity to the island. Today, Malta remains a deeply Catholic country, with churches in nearly every town and each town placed under the protection of a patron saint. A saint’s feast day is marked by a celebratory Mass, followed by a procession in which some of the men of the town carry the saint’s statue—a task that is no small feat. The procession winds through the streets as a band plays and fireworks fill the sky. People applaud, clap, and shout praises to the saint. 
We witnessed the celebration of St. Paul in Rabat. Young and old alike came out for the occasion. It seemed that people were more inspired by the procession than by the celebration of the Eucharist. During Mass, the sound system broke down, and people seemed unsure when to stand, sit, or kneel. The priest did not give a homily. Although the music was beautiful, none of it was sung by the congregation. Vatican II called for full and active participation at Mass, but regrettably, that was not what we experienced. At the procession, however, people were highly engaged. We have some catechetical work to do. Bishop James Misko, our eighth bishop of Tucson, spoke to the priests at their gathering in Chandler about the importance of the liturgy and the care and attention we need to give to the Eucharist and to the environment in which it is celebrated. This is critical if people are to experience the beauty of the Eucharist and be fed spiritually through the celebration of the Mass. If the Mass is to be the source and summit of our lives, then Malta, from our limited perspective, like us in the United States, needs to take more seriously the centrality of the Eucharist and the care given to its celebration. 

There is a very ornate church in Valletta dedicated to St. Paul Shipwrecked. When we visited, the church was under exterior scaffolding, and a group of Neocatechumenal college students was participating in Mass. There, we witnessed strong, full, and active participation. Several of the young people played guitars. They sang and clapped as they listened to the music and to instruction in the faith offered by one of the elders. 

Religious orders are very present in Malta, including the Carmelites, Dominicans, Jesuits, and Franciscans. In fact, the man who drove us around was the father of a Franciscan priest, Rev. Ramon Farrugia, of whom he was very proud, especially because he had recently become Minister General. We would have liked to meet him. 

Parts of Malta are desert-like, even with prickly pear cacti, reminiscent of Arizona, yet the sea is always in sight, which is stunning. The turquoise color of the water is striking. A boat ride to the Blue Lagoon reveals that color in all its beauty. Turquoise jewelry is very common in Arizona, reflecting a color much like the sea in Malta. 

Nearly everywhere in Malta, you see the Maltese Cross, associated with the Order of Malta, also known as the Order of St. John. The cross has eight points, representing the eight Beatitudes, and four arms, often associated with the cardinal virtues of prudence, fortitude, temperance, and justice. The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a lay religious order that still exists today. In fact, we have Knights and Ladies of the Order of Malta in our diocese. You may have seen them at special liturgies wearing garments bearing the Maltese Cross. The order began as the Hospitallers, caring for the sick, and it remains attentive today to those struggling with their health. Headquartered in Rome, the order ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798 and shaped the islands by building the fortified city of Valletta to protect them from the Ottomans.In Malta’s history, the Grand Masters who led the order were very powerful, and at times this led to conflict with the archbishop, requiring Rome to send negotiators to resolve the tension. In Valletta, the order’s church, known as the Co-Cathedral of St. John, is a magnificent and ornate building, with side altars dedicated to the religious communities that served there. The early Grand Masters are buried in the floor of the Co-Cathedral and in the side chapels. A major sculpture of St. John baptizing Jesus stands behind the main altar. 

The building also holds two priceless paintings by the great artist Caravaggio. The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, requested by one of the Grand Masters, is Caravaggio’s largest canvas and depicts the scene with his striking use of light and darkness. The executioner has already severed John’s head, as requested by Salome in response to her mother’s wishes. Blood is visible at the point of contact. A servant woman holds a plate to receive the head, while another figure urges the executioner to use the dagger in his right hand to complete the task. In the darkness on the right side of the canvas, shadowy prisoners look on, perhaps wondering whether the same fate awaits them. 

The Co-Cathedral of St. John also holds another Caravaggio painting, St. Jerome Writing. For all of Caravaggio’s talent, his life was troubled. He was continually getting into difficulty, killed a man, and had a cantankerous personality. He lived in Malta for a little over a year, during which he painted these masterpieces. Yet again, he got into trouble after violently attacking a man and was thrown into prison at the Fortress of San Angelo in Vittoriosa. With help from friends, he escaped and fled the island. 

The Archaeological Museum in Valletta as well as the excavations that are happening on Malta show that Malta’s earliest residents were Mesolithic hunter-gatherers who arrived from Sicily around 6400 BC. Imagine! However, ground-breaking excavations in the area show that these hunter-gatherers go back as many as 8,500 years ago. While they are not certain, archeologists believe many of the buildings that have been excavated were temples where animal sacrifices took place. The most striking piece that was discovered was a piece titled “woman lying in bed.” While no one knows exactly what the piece means, some conjecture that she represents death when we go into an endless sleep It is amazing how detailed is the piece of art.

In viewing these excavations, I could only think of Psalm 49, emphasizing the emptiness of riches and power and influence. ”Hear this O People, high and low, rich and poor…wise men and fools must both perish…the graves are their homes forever. What matters is how we live our lives, not how much we accumulate. The most important lesson we can learn, age after age.