MALTA: If you have ever visited Malta, you might have noticed something peculiar about some of the churches on the island. Many have two clocks on their façades, one on each side of the main entrance. But even more intriguing, the clocks often show different times.
Why is that? Is it a mistake, a prank, or a deliberate choice? Historians are still trying to determine this tradition’s origin, but several theories and legends attempt to explain it.
One of the most popular ones is that the clocks were to confuse the devil, who would try to lure people away from attending mass by making them think they were late or early.
By having two clocks at different times, the faithful would not rely on them and would instead follow the sound of the bells.
Another explanation is that the clocks indicated different schedules for different groups of people.
For example, one clock could show the time for the farmers, who would wake up early and work in the fields, while the other could show the time for the fishermen, who would follow the tides and the seasons.
Alternatively, one clock could show the local time, while the other could show the time of Rome, the seat of the Catholic Church.
A third possibility is that the clocks resulted from a practical problem. Since most clocks were operated manually and required regular winding and maintenance, it took work to keep them synchronized.
Moreover, the positioning of some clocks exposed them to different weather conditions and sunlight, which could affect their accuracy. Therefore, having two clocks at different times was a way of acknowledging and compensating for these errors.
According to local folklore, the clocks’ mismatched times are to ward off evil spirits. The story behind the two clocks dates back to the 18th century when a series of misfortunes struck the village in Malta.
Crop failures, epidemics, and unexplained deaths plagued the community, leading locals to believe their village was cursed.
They consulted with the village priest, who suggested they take an unconventional approach to dispel the evil spirits he believed were responsible for their misfortunes.
The priest advised that the villagers should install two clocks in the village square, with one clock set to the actual time and another set five minutes ahead.
He believed that the discrepancy in time would confuse the evil spirits, who would become disoriented and lose their grip on the village.
To their surprise, the locals followed the priest’s advice, and the misfortunes soon dissipated.
Since then, the clocks have become essential to the village’s identity and folklore.
Locals refer to them as the “clocks of confusion” and believe they continue to ward off evil spirits to this day.
The next time you visit one of these churches in Malta, take a moment to admire their clocks and wonder what stories they could tell.
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