Years ago, collector Jesmond Farrugia was cleaning a silver-coated crucifix he had inherited from his late brother-in-law when his mother-in-law recognised the exposed wooden cross that began to emerge.
It turned out to be the lost Crucifix of Miracles of Gudja.
The crucifix had once belonged to Lucarda Barbara, who in the 1950s would go around the homes of Gudja, visiting the sick and dying to pray before the cross. It had been gifted to her by the saintly priest Dun Alfred Gatt.
Today, the cross is one of the central attractions at the SacraCrux Museum where Jesmond and his son Rosaire display their collection of over 500 crucifixes – just a quarter of the full collection they own.
“It’s not about the quantity, it’s about the quality,” stresses Jesmond, 60, who began collecting crucifixes as a child.
Initially drawn by their religious meaning, he collected almost any type he could find. But as he grew older, he developed a deeper appreciation for their artistic and historical value.
The collection features crucifixes from around the world, including pieces dating back to the Byzantine era. They are crafted from a variety of materials such as plaster, ceramic, wood, mother-of-pearl, ivory, and papier-mâché.
Works by notable local artists – like Carlo Darmanin, Francesco Saverio Sciortino (brother of sculptor Antonio Sciortino), and Wistin Camilleri – are also on display.
Jesmond’s favourite one remains the wooden Crucifix of Miracles, dating back to the 1500s. It is a replica of a crucifix from Enna, Sicily, which belonged to Lucarda Barbara.
The Crucifix of Miracles dates back to the 1500s. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier.“Some people in Gudja still remember Lucarda carrying it from house to house. She would carefully remove it from its pedestal, wrap it in cloth, and take it to the bedside of the sick and dying,” Jesmond says.
Rosaire, on the other hand, holds a special affection for a small, inconspicuous plastic cross.
“I see this small one as the most important. It’s modest and made of plastic, but behind it is a note: The Pledge of Victory. It was given to British soldiers to carry during the war. God knows who the person was or what happened to them,” he says. They found it in a box of items they had bought.
As their collection grew, so did their immersion in its rich history – stories they now share with passion. For example, they recount how crosses worn by nuns used to have a metal back and wooden front.
“If the cross flipped while they were praying, their prayers didn’t count and they had to start over. That’s why they eventually started making crosses with wood on both sides,” Jesmond explains with a smile.
They also share intriguing facts, like how dark stains on some crucifixes were due to real cows’ blood, and how some crowns of thorns lacked spikes because they were originally made from hedgehog spines that decomposed over time.
Pointing to a few replicas, they note how Jesus is shown looking to the left toward the “bad thief” – a subtle reference to a political clash within the Church.
In the 1300s, the Catholic Church experienced a schism with two popes – one of whom was relocated to a papal palace in France and the other stayed in Rome. It is said that the France-based pope commissioned crucifixes where Jesus looked left – toward the bad thief and towards Rome – as a political message.
The small plastic cross that was given to British soldiers during the war. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier.Jesmond and Rosaire first began publicly displaying their collection in 2015, initially using the front part of their garage. Nearly a decade later, they have converted the entire ground floor of their apartment building into a museum, which they plan to open year-round starting this September.
Until now, the museum was open only during Holy Week. In preparation for the full opening, they’re currently working on encasing the crucifixes in glass and expanding the display areas, with help from Rosaire’s older brother, Loretano Farrugia, who assists with setup, structure, and lighting.
Recently, the museum was rebranded as SacraCrux, complete with a new logo featuring a crucifix surrounded by a crown of thorns. The crown represents the world, with seven prominent thorns symbolising the seven continents – fitting for a collection that spans the world.
SacraCrux is open during Holy Week. Anyone interested to visit any other time can visit by appointment. Details can be found on the SacraCrux Facebook page.