During the last few weeks, Archpriest Emeritus Mons. Joseph Zerafa completed the final touches on yet another replica model of an Ghajnsielem landmark... this time the "Ghajn tal-Hasselin".

The famous spring literally used to be the central meeting point of the first people that formed the Ghajnsielem community as we know it today. In 1710, the Grand Master Raymond Perellos after getting the approval of his Council General, ordered the construction of an arcade around the spring. Beneath the arcade, six stone washing basins were constructed, into which water from the spring was channeled. These facilities proved to be a boon to the increasing population of the late 18th and 19th century. The woman found them especially suitable for washing laundry. For over two centuries, from dawn onwards the area around the spring was throngs with chattering woman. The woman-folk congregated there in the mornings washing the laundry in the troughs while the man lazing off their afternoon under the canopy of the mulberry trees. Rare where the occasions where the spring remained idle. According to old people,  even at night one could hear the sound of splashing water and constant vigorous scrubbing. It is said that is was next to this spring that one day, Anglu Grech had a vision and received a heavenly message. But to maintain hygiene in such a place was a problem. Less and less care was taken to the washing area and in the latter years of its existent, the arcade was left in a state of reckless abandon, the whole place stinking with filth until its removal in the early fifties to make way for a new square.

Mons. Zerafa took almost one year to complete this model. Draughtsmen Tony Cauchi helped Mons Zerafa by providing all the necessary plans and technical details in order to replicate to the minimal detail. Mons Zerafa is now planning to built wooden replicas of the St Joseph Band premises and Ghajnsielem F.C. premises.