Collegiate of St Paul
The Collegiate Matrix Parish church of Saint Paul
Il-Knisja Kolleġġjata Arċipretali u Matriċi ta' San Pawl
Façade of the Church of St Paul's Shipwreck
35°53′51″N 14°30′50″E / 35.89740°N 14.51386°E / 35.89740; 14.51386
LocationValletta, Malta
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusActive
Founded1570
DedicationSaint Paul
Dedicated15 May
Architecture
Functional statusCollegiate church
Parish church
Architectural typeChurch
StyleBaroque
Specifications
Number of spires2
Bells7
Administration
ArchdioceseMalta
ParishValletta
Clergy
ArchpriestAlex Cordina
Main altar
Relic of St. Paul
Part of the column on which the saint was beheaded in Rome

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.[1]

History

Saint Paul the Apostle is considered the spiritual father of the Maltese. His shipwreck on Malta is described in the New Testament (Acts 28, 1). St. Luke wrote, "we found that the island was called Melita".[2]: V 

The church traces its origins to 1570s, was designed by Girolamo Cassar, and completed in December 1582. The church was ceded to the Jesuit Fathers and a new church was started in 1639. The church's facade was rebuilt in 1885 according to the design of Nicholas Zammit.[2]: 6 

The church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[3]

Interior

The church hosts fine artistic works, including the magnificent altarpiece by Matteo Perez d'Aleccio, the paintings by Attilio Palombi, and Giuseppe Calì.[2]: 8, 15, 35  The wooden titular statue of St Paul was carved in 1659 by Melchiorre Cafà, the brother of Lorenzo Gafà who designed the dome.[2]: 42, 18  The statue is paraded through the streets of Valletta on the feast day of St Paul's Shipwreck, February 10.[1][4] One can also view the relic of the right wrist-bone of St Paul, and part of the column from San Paolo alle Tre Fontane, on which the saint was beheaded in Rome.[2]: 38, 60 

See also

References

Citations
  1. 1 2 Bain 2004, p. 38
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Ciarlo, C.j., 2008, The Hidden Gem, Valletta: Progress Press Co. Ltd, ISBN 9990930015
  3. ↑ "Collegiate Church of St. Paul's Shipwreck" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 27 August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  4. ↑ B. Leo Barrington (1992). The Malta Year Book. Malta: St. Michael's College Publications. p. 436.
Bibliography
  • Bain, Carolyn (2004). Malta & Gozo. Lonely Planet. ISBN 1-74059-178-X.
  • Churches in Valletta, brochure, published by Malta Tourism Authority.
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