Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545479
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 21 JUNE 2026 TRIBUTE sitting-room pictures and the ewe. The glassy stare and the rigid position of the six children in the pictures made them look like stale fish dis- played for sale by a shameless monger. It goes without saying that these six pictures com- memorating the same event filled the sitting-room with monotony; this room lacked the air and liveliness which could have been created by a little common sense and imag- ination. Something quite striking was the variety of frames which bordered these pictures. The frames of the pictures of the two elder daughters in the fam- ily were really old and in bad taste. To make them more ill-look- ing, the brown paint of these two frames had started to wear out and fall off. One could not help associating the frames of the pictures of the next two children with honey-rings since they were made from two thin, protruding and in- tertwining bands painted in two shades of greyish brown, forming a design which looked so much like the pastry and stuffing of honey-rings, not to say that they aroused one's ap- petite. The frames of the pic- tures of the two younger chil- dren were made from a thin, fine design. Painted in a pale golden colour, one could see that these two frames seemed to represent different periods of the thirty years in which the Cachia family has been in ex- istence! All in all, these pictures filled the sitting-room with an at- mosphere which was far from pleasant. But I say, what could Mr and Mrs Cachia hang on the walls of the sitting-room so as to fill the empty space? There- fore, Tonina and Ġużep¬pi had decided that after the first communion of each of their children, they would take a coloured photo as a commem- oration of this important day, fix a frame to it and hang it in the sitting-room, thus con- forming themselves to the Maltese custom of hanging the photos of the first holy com- munion in the sitting-room. In this way, these pictures found themselves one by one hang- ing there. And I would not be mistaken if I were to say that they resembled the long rows of pictures of vicars, bishops or monarchs which we often meet in the sacristies of our church- es and in museums. The first picture to take its place was that of the elder daughter, who received her first holy communion as soon as she was six years old. About one and a half years after, the picture of the second daugh- ter was also hung. These two pictures not only had identi- cal frames but also were very similar photos. The daugh- ters were wearing the same first holy communion dress because Tonina did not find it necessary to prepare a new one for the second daughter who had received her first holy communion only a few months after her elder sister. The two daughters could be seen in the picture standing near a white kneeling-stool on which they rested their hands. Under the kneeling-stool there was a white bouquet of artificial flowers. As a background the two pictures had a large image of Christ wearing a pink dress and a blue mantle, two colours which did not match in the least. It was difficult to recog- nise who was who of the two sisters. Both of them had an apprehensive look and a sim- ilar hair-style, and they were also of the same height. On another wall of the sit- ting-room there were the pic- tures of the third daughter and of the elder son of the family. This pair of pictures, though representing the never-chang- ing scene of the first holy com- munion, was brighter and live- lier than the previous pictures. And the colours were more skilfully chosen. The kneel- ing-stool, near which stood the two children, was this time brown in colour while the im- age of Christ was more artistic and refined. The pictures of the younger daughter and son of the family formed another pair. They did not only have the finest frame but also the best developing. It could be seen that these two pictures were more recent and showed a considerable im- provement in photography. As a background, the photos had a vase flanked by a curtain. The boy appeared in the pho- to from his waist upwards with his hands fastened together as if in prayer. His clear and natu- ral smile filled the picture with radiant innocence. It was in this way that the pic- tures took their places in the sitting-room. Though com- memorating a dear event in the children's life, they were on- ly a dead image of an episode which was now buried in the past. None of the six daughters and sons carried any longer that meek and frightened look which appeared in the pictures. Though our childhood days are full of life, still we would only be machines of the same make which instinctively rise at dawn and retire at sunset. Our lives would remain indifferent and mindless to what happens in the world, all following the one and only pattern. Thus each and every one of the six children appeared in the first holy communion pictures in a lifeless and unemotional atti- tude, under the watchful eye of their protectors. But now that the six children had all grown up, they had all obtained their own individ- ual personality. They did not remain any longer small ma- chines under the management of their parents. They had all developed into independent personalities, seeking their own way of life, filled with ambitions and plans for the future, faced with problems which they themselves had to solve alone and unaided. What a change they had undergone from the way they appeared in the first holy communion pic- tures! In the meantime, the elder son of the family was totally against the idea of leaving the first holy communion pictures hanging on the sitting-room walls as if they were on show. Not that he disagreed that the day of our first holy commun- ion was the dearest one of our lives. But on the other hand, he was of the opinion that the family pictures should be placed in an album and not left on show to face the comments and criticism of those who happened to visit their house. Moreover, he believed that it was high time for the sitting room to be given a new look and, since in all fields of life the world was in these days passing through great changes, this was the most appropriate time for his family to decide on some badly needed reforms which could bring their sitting-room up to date with the forces of progress! It was all in vain for his moth- er to try to convince the others that it was a sort of a custom for the families to hang the first holy communion pictures on the wall, a custom which seemed to her befitting and proper. But the son could not accept his mother's arguments and he continued to maintain that the sitting-room badly needed a new atmosphere, lest they would all stagnate togeth- er. It was evident that the forces of conservatism and continuity once more conflicted with the forces of progress and change; one could even hear the clash- ing of the swords! But in spite of all that was said, the mother started to give in and after many attacks and counter-attacks the battle was over and a compromise was reached. The first holy com- munion pictures as well as the wedding picture of Tonina and Ġużep¬pi, which were now outdated, were to be removed from the sitting-room to give up their places to something more modern. But the six chil- dren were bound to hang the pictures in their respective rooms, so that in this way the dear day of the first holy com- munion would not be forgot- ten and at the same time the mother would at least have the satisfaction of not seeing these pictures, so dear to her heart, discarded and forgotten like many of the customs of her childhood which were now being trampled on at the intro- duction of new customs. One can thus realise how sad Mrs Cachia felt when the ap- pointed day arrived. The pic- tures were now to leave for ev- er the sitting-room which they had inhabited for the past years and had to seek new abode in different rooms and remain separated evermore. But Toni- na did not take long to get used to the new look and she even started enjoying the pleasant atmosphere. So, if you now happen to vis- it Mrs Cachia, she would wel- come you in the sitting-room as usual, but you would no longer see the first holy com- munion pictures around the wedding picture. Instead, you would see bright paintings full of artistic views which are il- luminated by the rays of the sun in the morning or by the light of the chandeliers in the evening. In this way, together with Tonina, Ġużep¬pi and their children, you would also be able to breathe in some pure air — the fresh air of change! It was all in vain for his mother to try to convince the others that it was a sort of a custom for the families to hang the first holy communion pictures on the wall, a custom which seemed to her befitting and proper. But the son could not accept his mother's arguments and he continued to maintain that the sitting-room badly needed a new atmosphere, lest they would all stagnate together