Old St Joseph's in the Citadel | |
---|---|
The Church of St Joseph | |
Knisja ta' San Ġużepp | |
36°02′48.4″N14°14′23.0″E / 36.046778°N 14.239722°E | |
Location | Victoria, Gozo |
Country | Malta |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
History | |
Former name(s) | St Nicholas |
Status | Church |
Dedication | Saint Joseph |
Dedicated | 15 August 1976 |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Active |
Architect(s) | Vittorio Cassar |
Architectural type | Church |
Administration | |
Province | Malta |
Diocese | Gozo |
Parish | St Mary's parish Victoria |
Clergy | |
Bishop(s) | Mario Grech |
Rector | Joe Bezzina |
Old St Joseph's in the Citadel is a Roman Catholic Church located in the medieval walled Cittadella in Victoria, Gozo, Malta.
Records show that a chapel already existed on the site during the mid 16th century. In fact, when inquisitor Pietro Dusina visited the Citadel he recalled that there were four churches dedicated to St Lawrence, St Nicholas, St John the Baptist's and Our Saviour's, respectively. The original St Joseph's was the one dedicated to St Nicholas. Its congregation grew when Dusina deconsecrated it Lawrence's in 1575 and the faithful turned to St Nicholas' which was described as the church which was best kept and equipped.
The church plan was altered by orders of Bishop Baldassare Cagliares on plans by Vittorio Cassar. Works concluded by 1625. Consequently, the dedication of the church was changed from that of St Nicholas to St Joseph, the first church on the island to bear the name of St Joseph. A palace was also built adjacent to the church as a residence to Bishop Cagliares. On St Joseph's day, the Chapter of St Mary's Collegiate Church used to celebrate vespers every year from 1672. [1]
The church was severely damaged during the earthquake of 1693. Consequently, services no longer were held in the church and it was abandoned. It was only in 1930 that interest was awaken to restore the chapel. The lieutenant Governor of Malta, Sir Harry Luke expressed interest in restoring buildings which had historic value. Restoration works were at a halt when Sir Luke was transferred somewhere else. In 1973 restoration works commenced once more and works were completed by 19 March 1975. The church was blessed by Bishop Nikol Joseph Cauchi on August 15, 1976. [2]
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 by population, is the largest locality in Gozo.
Żurrieq is a town in the Southern Region of Malta. It is one of the oldest towns in the country, and it has a population of 11,823 inhabitants as of March 2014. Żurrieq is one of the 10 parishes to be documented in 1436 and it is dedicated to Saint Catherine. The island of Filfla is administratively a part of the town. The town stretches from Nigret to Ħal Far. In old times the town was had a border with Żejtun. The village of Qrendi used to be part of the parish of Żurrieq until 1618 when it was made into its own parish.
Qala is an administrative unit of Malta, on the island of Gozo, with a population of 1,929 as of September 2019. Nearby is Ħondoq ir-Rummien, a coastline with salt pans and caves.
The Citadel, also known as the Castello, is the citadel of Victoria on the island of Gozo, Malta. The area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, and the site now occupied by the Cittadella is believed to have been the acropolis of the Punic-Roman city of Gaulos or Glauconis Civitas.
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. Today's basilica was built between 1672 and 1678.
The Chapel of the Annunciation is a Medieval Roman Catholic church located in Ħal-Millieri, limits of Żurrieq, Malta.
Baldassare Cagliares was a Maltese Roman Catholic prelate who was the Bishop of Malta from 1615 until his death.
Wirt Għawdex is a non-governmental organisation founded in 1981 with the aims of fostering the knowledge of Gozitan heritage amongst all levels of society and to strive to safeguard the natural, archaeological, historical and anthropological patrimony of the Maltese islands of Gozo and Comino.
The St Cecilia Chapel is a former Roman Catholic chapel in the limits of Xewkija, Gozo, Malta, dedicated to Saint Cecilia. It was built around 1540, but it was deconsecrated in 1644, being converted into an ancillary building for the nearby Santa Cecilia Tower.
The Chapel of St Michael more popularly known in Maltese as Il-Kappella tas-San Ċir or Il-Kappella ta' San Mikiel is-Sanċir is a medieval chapel located in the limits of Rabat, Malta in an area referred to as Ġnien is-Sultan.
The Chapel of the Transfiguration of Jesus or simply known as Our Saviour's or Tas-Salvatur is a Roman Catholic chapel located in the village of Qrendi in the south of Malta.
The Chapel of St. Paul the Hermit is a small church located in a cave in Wied il-Għasel, in Mosta, Malta.
The Chapel of St Nicholas is a small Roman Catholic 17th-century church located in Għargħur, Malta.
The Chapel of St Nicholas and St Lucy is a small Roman Catholic chapel located in a woodland known as Buskett Gardens in Malta. The chapel is located close to Verdala Palace, the official summer residence of the President of the Republic.
St Catherine's Chapel officially the Church of St Catherine and St Peter is an 18th-century Roman Catholic church located in Mqabba, Malta.
Tal- Virtu Church known formally as the Church of the Assumption of Mary of tal-Virtù, is a Roman Catholic Round church located in the outskirts of the town of Rabat, in Malta, on top of the hill known as Tal-Virtù, receiving its name from the church.
The Chapel of St Martin is a small Roman Catholic church in the rural village of Baħrija in Malta.
The Church of the Nativity of Mary also known as Victory Church is a Roman Catholic 17th-century church in the village of Qormi in Malta.
The Old Church of Siġġiewi is a ruined Roman Catholic parish church in Siġġiewi, Malta, which was dedicated to Saint Nicholas. It was constructed in the 15th century after the village became a parish, and it was enlarged and embellished a number of times in the 16th and 17th centuries. The building was abandoned and partially demolished after a new parish church with the same dedication was built elsewhere in the village in the late 17th century. The ruins were abandoned and used for agricultural purposes until they were restored in 2007.
The Parish Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven is a Roman Catholic parish church in Dingli, Malta, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. It was constructed in various stages between 1903 and 1973 on the site of a previous church which had been built between 1678 and 1680.