"Saint Vicente Scicluna"
All Corrections/Additions are Welcome
Last Update: 14-09-2010.
1. Lorenzo Scicluna, married 1574 Guda to Margherita Magri, with issue.
1.1. Ambrogio Scicluna, married 1607 Guda to Caterina Buttigieg, with issue.
1.1.1. Lorenzo Scicluna, married 1642 Axiak to Grazia Agius, with issue.
1.1.1.1. Ambrogio Scicluna, married 1694 Mdina to Maria Schembri, with issue.
1.1.1.1.1. Lorenzo Scicluna, married 1723 Axiak to Grazia Gatt, with issue.
1.1.1.1.1.1. Giuseppe Scicluna, married 1758 Axiak to Anna Fenech, with issue.
1.1.1.1.1.1.1. Laurent Felix Scicluna Scicluna, (1775 Malta -)., Migrated to Spain, married to Margherita Caruana Capeto, with issue.
1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1. Vincenzo Scicluna Caruana, (1820 Xativa Spain - 1897 Xativa Spain), married to Rosaria Hernandez, with issue.
1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1. Saint Vincenzo Scicluna Hernandez., (1859-1936), dunm.
1.1.1.1.1.1.2. Maria Scicluna, married 1787 Cospicua to Giovanni Farena.
1.1.1.1.1.2. Salvu Scicluna, married (1) 1751 Zebbug to Rosa Vassallo, married (2) Giovanna Cassar, with issue.
1.1.1.1.2. Maria Scicluna, married 1722 Zurrieq to Valerio Abela
1.1.1.2. Maria Scicluna, married 1674 to Lorenzo Abela, married (2) 1683 to Gio Domenico Xerri.
1.1.1.3. Caterina Scicluna, married 1665 to Carlo Cassar.
1.1.2. Grazia Scicluna, married 1636 Gudja to Guilio Dalli.
1.1.3. Caterina Scicluna, married 1639 Gudja to Marciano Gristi.
1.1.4. Maria Scicluna, married 168. Dionisio Scicluna.
1.1.5. Gio Maria Scicluna, married 1676 to Domenica Abela, with issue.
1.1.5.1. Giacomo Scicluna, married 1704 to Teresa Zarb, with issue.
1.1.5.1.1. Antonio Scicluna, married 1730 to Maddalena Farrugia.
1.1.5.1.2. Caterina Scicluna, married 1723 to Gio Maria Agius.
1.1.5.1.3. Maria Scicluna, married 1730 to Giovanni Arnau, with issue.
1.1.5.1.3.1. Caterina Arnau, married 1759 to Antonio Azzopardi, with issue.
1.1.5.1.3.1.1. Francesca Azzopardi, married 1786 to Salvatore Saguna.
1.1.5.1.4. Maddalena Scicluna, married 1733 to Giuseppe Bonnici.
1.1.5.2. Michele Scicluna, married 1706 to Paolina Delicata, with issue.
1.1.5.2.1. Francesco Scicluna, married 1727 to Rosa Cap.
1.1.5.2.2. Stefano Scicluna, married 1742 to Paola N., with issue.
1.1.5.2.2.1. Giacomo Scicluna, married 1789 to Concetta Galea.
1.1.5.2.2.2. Teresa Scicluna, married 1775 to Domenico Barbara.
1.1.5.2.3. Maddalena Scicluna, married 1728 to Alessio Zammit.
1.1.5.3. Elizabetta Scicluna, married (1) 1703 to Pasquale Zahra, married (2) 1704 to Francesco Gatt.
1.2. Alessandro Scicluna., married 1606 to Paolina Agius, with issue.
1.2.1. Ceristino Scicluna, married 1635 to Marietta Bruno.
1.2.2. Grazio Scicluna, married 1651 to Grazia Azzopardi.
1.3. Sebastiano Scicluna, married 1623 to Paolina Bonavia.
From Malta to Spain
Felix Xicluna from Hal Ghaxaq
By
Fr Martin Micallef
Parish Priest of Hal Ghaxaq
Felix Xicluna was born in Malta, a small archipelago in the middle of Mediterranean Sea, in a village called Casal Axiak, or Hal Ghaxaq as it is known today.
He was born on the 15th August 1775. His parents were Joseph Xicluna Gatt and Anna Fenech Magrin who were married at Ghaxaq Parish Church on the 9th July 1758.
His brothers and sisters were Joanna and Gratia (who both died in the month of May 1768 aged 3 and 5 respectively), Michael, Joanna, Felix and Salvatore the youngest.
Felix?s grandparents were Laurentius (born and baptized at Ghaxaq Parish on the 6th July 1698) and Gratia Gatt.
They married at Ghaxaq Parish Church on the 4th November 1723. Laurentius died on 31st October 1781 at the vulnerable age of 83.
By the beginning of the 18th century, the Maltese population was about 60,000 while by the mid-18th century it grew to 80,000 and reached approximately 100,000 by the end of the century.
When Felix Xicluna was born, Ghaxaq had a population of 1,058 persons which included 258 families among which six had Xicluna as their family surname. The parish priest was Don Arcangelo Farrugia, a 50 year old cleric. At the village, lived 20 other priests and 8 lay clerics.
On the 20th January 1783 at the age of 12, Felix lost his mother Anne. His sister Giovanna, aged 30 and who was not married, died on 3rd January 1801. Felix?s father passed away on 26th February 1801 at the age of 73.
By the Italian word partito (left or departed) the Status Animarum archived at Ghaxaq parish indicates that in 1797 Felix Xicluna had left the Island. He was then 21 years old and he left together with his brother Michael aged 26 years while their father, their sister Giovanna, and their brother Salvatore remained on the island.
By late 18th century, Malta seemed to have enjoyed a general sense of prosperity. However, the majority of the population often suffered poverty, especially those who lived in the countryside.
At that time, to live a decent life one needed about 30 Maltese skudi annually. An average worker used to earn between 50 to 60 Maltese skudi. With such a wage, the breadwinner could not maintain a family of five or six. Therefore, a worker who cared for his family?s wellbeing engaged himself in some other work. Some had a field or two which they worked in their free time while others did some other jobs.
Women also played their part. Many married women worked in the fields. With the money earned by a normal worker and with the numerous siblings a family could hardly live a decent life. In fact, the daily diet consisted of bread with oil or cheese while on Sunday it may have included some meat. Under these circumstances, many Maltese youth, married or not married who did not find a decent job, used to emigrate with the hope of finding a better fortune - a decision they had to take with much sacrifice, knowing that they had to leave their loved ones behind and uncertain whether they would ever see them again.
Felix father?s will, which was written on his bedside on 13th February 1801, a few days before he died, indicates that the Xicluna family was not a well-off family. He left Salvatore, who was still single and who used to live with his father, a choice between some animals, either two calves or two sheep together with all the house furniture, ornaments and other household goods.
To all his four children including Felix and Michele he left the sum of 66 skudi to be paid for the funeral expenses and masses for the repose of his wife, his daughter Giovanna and himself.
The Xicluna brothers were not the only persons from Hal Ghaxaq who emigrated during the last decade of the 18th century when an exodus of Maltese left the island temporarily or for good. The parish archives show that three villagers left the island in 1791, four in 1792, twenty one in 1794, six in 1796 and thirty one in 1797 amongst whom were Michele Xicluna and his brother Felix.
In 1798, the year when the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, who ruled the island since 1530, surrendered it to Napoleon Bonaparte, another eight men left Hal Ghaxaq. In 1799 we find another eight leaving while in 1800 only one left.
The Status Animarum archived at Ghaxaq parish do not indicate to which places Ghaxaq residents went to find a better future. Other sources indicate Cadiz, Valencia, Marsilia and Barcelona as their popular destinations.
In fact, we find two men from Ghaxaq who left for Cadiz, seven for Valencia, one for Marsilia and two for Barcelona. A few used to return back after a short while. A note written by the vice parish priest of Ghaxaq shows that a certain Angelo Vella died suddenly in Lisbon in 1797.
In Spain, Felix Xicluna married Margarita Caruana Capelo, a Spanish of Maltese descent. One of his sons, Vicente who was born in Muro, married Maria del Rosaio Balader of Valencia and had two siblings (Don) Vicente and Desamparados.
Don Vicente was born in Valencia on 30th September 1859 and baptized at St Stephen Church on 1st November of the same year.
Don Vicente was later martyred by the Spanish milicianos in Balbaite on the 22nd September 1936 while still serving as parish priest of Navarres.
++++++++++++++++
The parish priest of Navarres (Spain) is preparing another biography of D. Vicente Sicluna. Navarres is the city where Vicente Sicluna lived and died.
I want to inform you that the last name Caruana is quite well-known in Valencia (Spain). I also have the last name Caruana. My family Caruana came from Zurrieq and Senglea. They are you pray families Caruana in Valencia. They are important families.
The emigration of the inhabitants of Malta to Spain is different from the emigration to the British countries. The emigration under the British Crown she took place in the XIX and XX centuries. The Maltese who come to Spain in the XVIII century were merchants. They traded mainly in cotton fabrics. Some Maltese stayed to live forever in Spain. In Spain they are many last names from Malta (Sicluna, Caruana, Magro, Schembri, Gerada, Tabone, Attard, Camilleri, Abela, Seiquer, Mifsud, Zamit, etc). They are abundant mas in the Mediterranean coast (Valencia, Andalusia, Murcia).
Last day 18-3-2004 the President of Malta, HE Guido of Marco, visited Valencia and Navarres. He spoke with the descendants of the people of Malta in Valencia. We have talked with the President about the Association of the Friends of Malt. You can see the pictures www-union web.com/malta2004
I greet cordially you
Ricardo Sicluna Lletget
Valencia 23 of April, 2004
Mark,
I have received their message. I agree with the text that you propose. However, I indicated you in my previous mail that the text Felix Sicluna has more than enough it was edited by the parish priest of Ghaxaq, Martin Micalef. He should figure as the author. I am not the author. He is logical that I know little the details of the life of the family Scicluna in Malta before they emigrate. I know more the life of the family in Spain.
He is certain that I have prepared the data that I sent to you in the first mail, with the lineage from Lorenzo Scicluna until the present time. I take advantage of this occasion to send him, next, a part of the text of the preparations for the beatification of D. Vicente Sicluna. These documents have been edited by D. Ramon Fita Revert.
I request to you that he forgives me my ignorance on the English language. You receive my but cordial greetings..
Ricardo Sicluna Lletget
Valencia (Spain)