Collegiate Parish Church of St Paul's Shipwreck
Encyclopedia
The Collegiate Parish Church of St Paul's Shipwreck, also known as simply the Church of St Paul's Shipwreck, is a Roman Catholic parish church in Valletta
, Malta
. It is one of Valletta's oldest churches.
The church traces its origins to 1570s. Although the church of the Dominican
fathers had already been declared a parish of Valletta, the Cathedral Chapter
insisted on having a church of its own from where to administer sacraments to the inhabitants. The church was reconstructed in 1609 but was demolished in 1639. The plans of the new church were prepared by Bartolomeo Garagona. The facade was rebuilt in 1885 to the design of Nicola Zammit.
, the choir and dome of Lorenzo Gafà, the paintings by Attilio Palombi, and Giuseppe Calì
and the titular statue. The wooden statue of St Paul the Apostle was carved in 1657 by Melchiorre Cafà, the brother of Lorenzo Gafà
who remodelled the church in 1680. The statue is paraded through the streets of Valletta on the feast day of St Paul's Shipwreck, February 10 generally under heavy rainfall. One can also view the treasured relic of the right wrist-bone of St Paul, and part of the column on which the saint was beheaded in Rome
.
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. It is one of Valletta's oldest churches.
History
St Paul is considered to be the spiritual father of the Maltese. His shipwreck is popularly considered as the greatest event in the nation's history. For this reason, St Paul's Collegiate Church is one of the most important in Malta.The church traces its origins to 1570s. Although the church of the Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
fathers had already been declared a parish of Valletta, the Cathedral Chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
insisted on having a church of its own from where to administer sacraments to the inhabitants. The church was reconstructed in 1609 but was demolished in 1639. The plans of the new church were prepared by Bartolomeo Garagona. The facade was rebuilt in 1885 to the design of Nicola Zammit.
Interior
The church hosts fine artistic works, including the magnificent altarpiece by Matteo Perez d'AleccioMatteo Perez d'Aleccio
Matteo Perez d'Aleccio was an Italian painter of devotional, historical and maritime subjects during the Mannerist period. He was also known as Matteo da Lecce or Leccio by virtue of his hometown of Lecce....
, the choir and dome of Lorenzo Gafà, the paintings by Attilio Palombi, and Giuseppe Calì
Giuseppe Calì
Giuseppe Calì was a Maltese painter, born in Valletta of Neapolitan parents and educated at the Accademia delle Belle Arti in Naples under Giuseppe Mancinelli...
and the titular statue. The wooden statue of St Paul the Apostle was carved in 1657 by Melchiorre Cafà, the brother of Lorenzo Gafà
Lorenzo Gafà
Lorenzo Gafà was a Maltese baroque architect.Born in Vittoriosa , Gafà began his working life as a stone carver and his brother was the renowned sculptor Melchiorre. By the early 1660s he had developed a strong interest in architectural design and in 1661 is known to have been involved in the...
who remodelled the church in 1680. The statue is paraded through the streets of Valletta on the feast day of St Paul's Shipwreck, February 10 generally under heavy rainfall. One can also view the treasured relic of the right wrist-bone of St Paul, and part of the column on which the saint was beheaded in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.