Ħamrun ~ Travel

Ħamrun is a town in the Inner Harbour Region of Malta, with a population of 8,800 people (Nov 2010).

The villagers are traditionally known as Tas-Sikkina (literally meaning 'of the knife' or 'those who carry a knife') or as Ta' Werwer (which literally means 'those who scare' or more colloquially, 'the scary ones'). This appellation could stem from the trouble-making image that the local football club, Ħamrun Spartans, was known for[citation needed] or that a considerable number of Hamrunizi used to work as stevedores on the docks and thus carried a knife at all times. Another theory was that the community of Sicilians who settled here illegally in the 16th century danced a traditional dance which involved the wielding of small stilettos which they carried in their socks, waving them in the air and back to their sheaths.

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church

Churches

Our Lady of Atocja Chapel is the oldest chapel in Ħamrun.. Madonna tas-Samra.jpg|thumb|left|Our Lady of Atocja]] It was built in the early 17th century by a merchant trader who brought the painting of the Madonna from Atocha in Spain. The people from Ħamrun refer to it as Tas-Samra.

Christ the Redeemer, St Cajetan Parish, Ħamrun

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church is the Motherhouse of the Society of Christian Doctrine founded by Saint George Preca. In fact, he was buried in the crypt of the Church. On a Wednesday, in Passiontide, a Procession of Christ the Redeemer walks through "Strada Rjali" (Ħamrun Main Road). The Procession starts adjacent to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church and ends when the Statue of Jesus Christ is inside Saint Cajetan Sanctuary. The procession is accompanied by band funeral marches and the 1st Ħamrun Scout Group.

The Chapel of Porto Salvo was built in 1736 and it was conceived as a village chapel. It is built in the Baroque Style. Today the chapel is used mostly for the adoration of the Holy Eucharist. The local refer to the chapel as Ta' Santu Nuzzo.

Purcissjoni ta' Gesu' Redentur, Ħamrun

Immaculate Conception Parish Church was built in the 1960s to cater for the large population of Ħamrun. In architectural terms the church has a very plain and neat design. In 1973 it became the first parish to receive the Neocatechumenal Way, from where it spread to another 26 parishes in the Maltese Islands. The Neocatechumenal Way is also present in St. Cajetan Parish. Together these two parishes have 13 'communities' with around 450 members.

St. Francis of Assisi Church was built in the 1950s by the Franciscan Community to cater for the local community.

Saint Cajetan Sanctuary

St. Gaetan Parish Church was built in the latter half of the 19th century. Originally it was intended to name the church for St. Joseph however Bishop Gaetano Pace Forno wanted to name the church for his patron saint. The church is built in a Neo-Gothic style. Its interior was painted by Emvin Cremona. The statue of Saint Cajetan was done by Carlo Darmanin.

Interior of Saint Cajetan Sanctuary

Feast

The Patron Saints of Ħamrun are 'San Gejtanu', 'Kunċizzjoni' and San Ġuzepp. St Gaetan feast is celebrated on the first Sunday after August 7 and the Immaculate Conception feast is celebrated in the first Sunday of July. St. Gaetan's feast generates a lot of commerce in the Hamrun district. The Parish Church of St. Gejtanu was designed by George Schinas. Construction of the church was finished in 1875. The titular painting was done by Pietro Gagliardi in Rome. The statue of San Gejtanu is the work of eminent Maltese sculptor Charles Darmanin and was completed in 1885.

St Cajetan Church

There are 3 Town band clubs in Hamrun. St Gaetan's Band Club, St Joseph and the Immaculate Conception band, the only band in the Immaculate Conception Parish. San Gejtanu's, or as it is also known "tat-Tamal" and St. Joseph's, or as it is also known "Tal-Miskina", hold marathon marches "Marċ tal-brijju" on the day of the feast starting early in the morning and ending late in the afternoon. There is great rivalry between the two band clubs, which makes for one of the most exciting feasts in Malta. The two band clubs are associated with two different colours; red for San Gejtanu's Band Club and blue for St. Joseph's Band Club. Supporters of the band clubs surround their respective marching band decked out in clothes and head bands and carrying flags of the same colour as that of their club. Hand-held fire works, especially noisy ones, are set off along the parade route and supporters shower the bands and their supporters with streamers and confetti from balconies and roofs. At times, the confetti look like a heavy snow storm. Little children run around playing with the mounds of paper that are left behind the marching bands.

St Cajetan Church

In the evening, local band clubs play on a band stand adjacent to the parish church. Locals and visitors walk back and forth along the main street under colourful lights and banners. The streets are lined with statues of saints and angels. The procession leaves the church early in the evening and winds its way around the city. The fiesta ends with a spectacular run up the stairs of the Parish Church. Volunteers carrying the statue of the Patron Saint take a "girja" (run) up the stairs under the watchful eyes of parishioners, visitors and tourists. This traditional ending of the boisterous local feast dates back to 1898. The run is usually accompanied by an equally spectacular and noisy fire works display and loud cheers and clapping from the crowds.

Procession with the Statue of Saint Cajetan

Besides the feast of St. Cajetan, Hamrun celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception both on the first Sunday of July and on the 8th of December with great fervour and delight. The titular statue of the Immaculate Conception is held with great esteem due to the admiration it drew from the great pontiff Leo XIII who on seeing its magnificence bestowed on it the honour of serving as a tangible means for grace through the distribution of an indulgence to whoever expresses devotion towards it.

Procession with the Statue of San Gejtanu

The feast of the Immaculate Conception is quite different from that of St. Cajetan. Rather than focusing on the external more energetic and lively side of the feast, it is a feast which is much more muted and the parish's only band club guarantees a total absence of rivalry.

Sanctuary Lighten Up for Festa

Transport

Ħamrun can boast that several historic transport services used to pass through it. The most notable means of transport that used to pass in Ħamrun was the train or il-vapur ta' l-art. Today the former train station is used as the headquarters for the Ħamrun Scout group which is one of the oldest scout groups in the world. Another transport service which used to pass through the town was that of the Tram.

Ħamrun doesn't have a bus terminus but several bus services call at Ħamrun: 71, 74, 75, 80, 81, 82,84, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 157, 159, 890.