St Mary's Church, Għaxaq

St Mary's Church
The Parish Church of the Assumption of Mary
Il-knisja Parrokjali tal-Assunzjoni tal-Verġni Marija
St Mary's Church
35°50′57.5″N 14°31′02.4″E / 35.849306°N 14.517333°E / 35.849306; 14.517333Coordinates: 35°50′57.5″N 14°31′02.4″E / 35.849306°N 14.517333°E / 35.849306; 14.517333
Location Għaxaq
Country Malta
Denomination Roman Catholic
History
Status Active
Founded 1511
Dedication Assumption of Mary
Consecrated 2 May 1784
Architecture
Functional status Parish church
Architectural type Church
Style baroque
Doric (facade)
Groundbreaking 1723
Completed 1760
Specifications
Number of domes 1
Number of spires 2
Materials Limestone
Administration
Parish Għaxaq
Archdiocese Malta
Clergy
Archbishop Charles Scicluna
Rector Mario Said

St Mary's Church formally known as The Parish Church of The Assumption of Mary, is a Baroque Roman Catholic parish church, located in the village of Għaxaq in Malta.

History

Records show that since 1511, a church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary stood where the current church stands today. When Għaxaq became an independent parish in 1626, the church became the parish church. The church was modified and enlarged multiple times, notably in 1655. Nonetheless, a new Baroque church was built instead between 1723 and 1760. The new church was consecrated on May 2, 1784.[1][2][3][4]

Interior

The church includes a number of artifacts, amongst these the titular statue of the Blessed Virgin, carved in wood by Mariano Gerada in 1808. Another statue which could be found in this church is that of Saint Joseph which was made by Fratelli Bertarelli of Milan in Italy in the year 1932 and is also carved in wood. The paintings which decorate the church's ceiling were painted by Emvin Cremona during the 1960s while other works of art date back to the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries mostly painted by famous Maltese artists: Gian Nikol Buhagiar, Francesco Zahra, Rokku Buhagiar and Ganni Vella above others.

References

  1. ↑ "Ħal Għaxaq", Archdiocese of Malta. Retrieved on 08 June 2017.
  2. ↑ "Ghaxaq Parish Church", Malta.com. Retrieved on 08 June 2017.
  3. ↑ "Ghaxaq", Malta-Canada. Retrieved on 08 June 2017.
  4. ↑ "Parish church dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Għaxaq", Times of Malta, Malta, 20 September 2011. Retrieved on 08 June 2017.
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