About
Żebbuġ
Żebbuġ perched on a hill to the north of Gozo, is the coolest place on the island. The name is Maltese for olives and olive trees. The village sprawls on two adjoining hills, from where there are wonderful views of the Gozitan countryside and the Mediterranean. On a slope facing Ta Ġurdan Lighthouse, known as is-Sagħtrija, the Wild Thyme Field, there was a deposit of onyx. Many churches in Malta and Gozo have works of art sculpted out of this onyx. Iż-Żebbuġin are known for the high quality of their bizzilla, lace; nsiġ, weaving; and kutri tas-suf, woolen blankets. The villagers are very proud of their religious heritage as can be seen from the priority given to the maintenance of street niches. The most devout is that of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, better known as il-Madonna taċ-Ċiċri. The village church, a showplace of works sculpted in Gozo onyx, is dedicated to Santa Marija.
Iż-Żebbuġ , imperreċ fuq għolja fit-tramuntana ta’ Għawdex, huwa meqjus l-iktar post frisk tal-gżira. Kemm bil-Malti, kif ukoll bl-Għarbi, l-isem jirreferi għas-siġar taż-żebbuġ u l-frott tagħhom. Ir-raħal hu mifrux fuq żewġ għoljiet li jmissu ma’ xulxin; mit-trufijiet tal-għoljiet hemm veduti mill-isbaħ tal-kampanja Għawdxija u tal-Baħar Mediterran. Fin-niżla faċċatta tal-Fanal Ta Ġurdan, fuq biċċa art magħrufa bħala Is-Sagħtrija, post fejn jikber is-sagħtar, kien hemm depożitu ta’ blat tal-oniċi. Diversi knejjes f’Malta u Għawdex għandhom xogħlijiet maħdumin minn dan l-oniċi. Iż-Żebbuġin huma magħrufa għall-kwalità għolja tal-bizzilla tagħhom, tal-insiġ, u kutri tas-suf. Ir-residenti huma kburin ħafna bil-wirt reliġjuż tagħhom u dan jidher mill-mod tassew tajjeb li bih jieħu ħsieb in-niċeċ fit-toroq tagħhom. L-iktar niċċa magħrufa u devota hi dik tal-Verġni Mqaddsa Marija tal-Ħniena, magħrufa aħjar bħala il-Madonna taċ-Ċiċri. Il-knisja tar-raħal, vetrina ta’ xogħlijiet skolpita fl-oniċi ta’ Għawdex, hija ddedikata lil Santa Marija.
