Church of the Nativity of Mary | |
---|---|
Knisja ta' Savina | |
36°02′41.9″N14°14′17.1″E / 36.044972°N 14.238083°E | |
Location | Victoria, Gozo |
Country | Malta |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
History | |
Status | Church |
Founded | 10th Century |
Dedication | Nativity of Mary |
Consecrated | 17 February 1904 |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Active |
Architectural type | Church |
Style | Baroque |
Completed | 1913 |
Specifications | |
Number of spires | 1 |
Administration | |
Province | Malta |
Diocese | Gozo |
Parish | St Mary's parish Victoria |
Clergy | |
Bishop(s) | Mario Grech |
Rector | Giovanni Bosco Gauci |
The Church of the Nativity of Our Lady, more commonly known in Maltese as Ta' Savina, is a church situated in the heart of Victoria, in the island of Gozo, part of the Maltese archipelago.
The original church was one of the earliest church buildings in Gozo. It was mentioned in notarial deeds of 1479. Other sources trace this church to the time of Count Roger I of Sicily. The church was rebuilt in 1502. Together with that of St. James and St. George's, this church served as the parish church for the locals during the night time since the parish of St. Mary in the Cittadella was inaccessible for people living outside the fortified city. [1] As the threat of a barbarian invasion decreased, Savina and St. James's lost their parochial status and Victoria was left with two main parishes. Burials used to take place in the church yard up until 1899.
The present church was built in the early 20th century. The cathedral chapter had approved plans for the rebuilding of Savina church. Works started in 1901 and finished in 1904. The church was consecrated on February 17, 1904. [2] In 1913 the church was further enlarged. The church was reopened in the same year by Cardinal Domenico Ferrata, a Papal delegate for the Eucharistic Congress. Monsignor Luigi Vella was appointed as the first rector of the church. Monsignor Vella was the one who worked to rebuild the church and open it for perpetual adoration. He was later appointed Archdeacon of the cathedral. [3]
The church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. [4]
The main altar painting depicts the birth of the Virgin Mary. It dates to 1622 and was commissioned by the governor of Gozo Riccardo de Nini Claret.
Victoria, also known among the native Maltese as Rabat or by its title Città Victoria, is an administrative unit of Malta, and the main town on Gozo. Victoria has a total population of 6,901, and is the most populous settlement in Gozo.
Rabat is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, with a population of 11,497 as of March 2014. It adjoins the ancient capital city of Mdina, and a north-western area formed part of the Roman city of Melite until its medieval retrenchment.
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St. George's Basilica or the Basilica and Collegiate Parish Church of Saint George, also simply known as San Ġorġ in Maltese, is a historic Baroque church situated in the middle of Gozo, the second largest island in the Maltese archipelago, and is surrounded by a maze of old narrow streets and alleys. The church had been rebuilt numerous times during the Middle Ages. Today's basilica was built between 1672 and 1678.
In the small Mediterranean island nation of Malta, the predominant religion is Roman Catholicism.
The Basilica of the Nativity of Mary or Basilica of Our Lady of Victories is a Roman Catholic parish church located at Senglea, Malta. It is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.
The Church of St James is a Roman Catholic church building in Victoria, Gozo, Malta, situated in Independence Square, the centre of the town.
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Church of the Nativity of Mary may refer to:
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The Basilica of the Nativity of Our Lady is a Roman Catholic parish church in Xagħra, Gozo, Malta, dedicated to the Nativity of Mary. The present building was constructed between 1815 and 1855, on the site of a smaller church which had been built in the 17th century. The dome was added in 1892. The church became a collegiate church in 1900, and a basilica in 1967.
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