Mqabba ( mt, L-Imqabba) is a town in the Southern Region of

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

. It has a traditional Maltese village layout, with a population of about 3,300 inhabitants. The focal point is the Parish Church of the Assumption, found at the core of the village. It has two band clubs, a number of gardens and a list of national monuments.

About

With 3,315 residents, Mqabba has the characteristics of a typical Maltese village, with stillness prevailing in the small streets of the village. Mqabba was built around the

Parish Church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

, the landmark of the village. The church is dedicated to the Assumption, with its feast being held every 15 August. The feast of Our Lady of Lilies (Madonna tal-Gilju) is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. There is also the feast of St Mary(Santa Marija) The two band clubs of the village are situated in the piazza. The village feasts are popular with the residents. Other feasts celebrated are the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Sorrows, Corpus Domini and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. Other landmarks in the village include chapels dedicated to the Lady of Sorrows,

Saint Basil Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great ( grc, Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, ''Hágios Basíleios ho Mégas''; cop, Ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲓⲟⲥ; 330 – January 1 or 2, 379), was a bishop of Cae ...

, Saint Michael and Saint Catherine. Mqabba also has of catacombs which were discovered in the 1860s. The motto of the village is 'Non Nisi Per Ardua' which translates into 'Only with Ability'. The importance of Mqabba is shown by the archaeological remains found in the vicinity. Extinct animals were found in quarries at

Ta' Kandja Ta' Kandja is a small area situated between Ħal Farruġ and Siġġiewi in Malta. The area, which is mainly composed of limestone quarries, comprises a small number of facilities, such as the Detention Centre housed by the Armed Forces of Malta an ...

and "Tax-Xantin". Late pre-historic Neolithic until Tarxien periods burials in a natural cave are found in the peripheries of Mqabba, in a site known as "Bur Meghez", in the whereabouts of ''Tan-Naxxari Quarry''.
See also
One of the most important discoveries in Mqabba is the Paleo Christian "Mintna Catacombs" found in Diamond Jubilee Square in 1860 by Dr. A. A. Caruana and Capt Strickland. The ritual table known as the "Agape" table dominates the whole structure of tombs. Archaeological details were studied by Mayr. Becker, Zammit and Bellanti. Important structures include the

Vincenti Tower Vincenti Tower ( mt, Torri Vinċenti) is a tower in Mqabba, Malta. It was built in 1726 by Fra Orfeo de Vincenzo, a Prior of the Order of St. John. It forms part of a countryside residence, which also includes a palace/farmhouse known as ''Ta' T ...

. The main church is dedicated to

Assumption of Our Lady The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it in 1950 in his apostolic constitution ''Munificentissimus Deus'' as follows: We proclaim and define it to be a dogma revealed by Go ...

and its feast is celebrated on 15 August. The feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on the nearest Sunday to 8 December. The feast of Our Lady of the Lilies is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. The titular statue found in the church, that of the Assumption of the blessed Mother of God, was made by Alessandro Farrugia in 1836 and was made similar to the statue of the Assumption which is found in Ghaxaq, made out of wood. The photograph shows the statue in its original form, as it was prior to 1928, when a new sarcophagus made of silver replaced the original wooden one seen in the picture. Apart from the sarcophagus, the statue itself has lost none of its characteristics. The

Assumption of Mary The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it in 1950 in his apostolic constitution '' Munificentissimus Deus'' as follows: We proclaim and define it to be a dogma revealed by ...

is celebrated on 15 August, and is also celebrated in Qrendi, Gudja, Ghaxaq, Mosta, Attard and Victoria (Gozo). It is all celebrated in the same day, as a tradition.

Fireworks displays

The parish feast which is organised between 8 and 15 August brings to Mqabba fireworks enthusiasts as the St. Mary Fireworks Factory, a world-renowned Fireworks group. The group won the first edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival in 2006 and brought the most important honour in the village's history when it won the Caput Lucis Fireworks World Championships in 2007, in Valmontone a province of

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

in Italy after competing with seven of the world's most successful firework companies. The secondary feast fireworks displays take place on the 3rd week of June of each year, the Feast in Honour of Our Lady of Lilies. Ground and Aerial Fireworks display are held on each day of the Feast. The main fireworks event is held on Saturday, eve of the Feast. A self-propelled vertical firework wheel (a

Catherine wheel Catherine wheel may refer to: * wheel or breaking wheel, an instrument of torturous execution originally associated with Saint Catherine of Alexandria * Catherine wheel (firework), a firework that rotates when lit Arts and entertainment * Cather ...

) with a diameter was fired on 18 June 2011. It was designed by The Lily Fireworks Factory for the eve of the village's feast of Our Lady of Lilies.

International awards

* Les Etoile d'Or du Jumelage in 1998 (European Union award for twinning) - achieved by the King George V Band within the Society of St. Mary and King George V Band Club Mqabba for a twinning with the Corpo Bandistico Santa Vittoria in Matenano a province of Ascoli-Piceni in Italy. * The Malta International Fireworks Festival in 2006 won by the St. Mary Fireworks Factory Mqabba * Caput Lucis - 'Campionato Mondiale di Fuochi d'Artificio d'Autore' in 2007 won by the St. Mary Fireworks Factory Mqabba * Guinness World Records for the largest Catherine Wheel measured 32.044 m in diameter build by the Lily Fireworks Factory Mqabba on 18 June 2011.

National awards

*Won the National Competition for the decoration of the Band Clubs facade during Christmas *Won National Live Crib Competition in 2007 by the Youth Section within the Society of St. Mary and King George V Band Club Mqabba *Won II National Mechanised Ground Fireworks Festival in 2008, by the Lily Fireworks Factory Mqabba *Won IV National Mechanised Ground Fireworks Festival in 2010, by the St. Mary Fireworks Factory Mqabba *Won Premju Ġieħ l-Artiġjanat Malti 2015 for a Three Dimensional Ground fireworks piece by the St. Mary Fireworks Factory Mqabba

Zones in Mqabba

*Ħajt tal-Matla *Ħal Millieri *Mintna *

*Tal-Ħaġra *Tal-Landier *Tal-Wilġa *Tas-Sejba *Tax-Xantin *Tax-Xatba l-Ħamra

References

External links

Mqabba Local CouncilSocjeta Santa Marija Banda Re Gorg VSocjeta Muzikali Madonna tal-Gilju
{{Authority control Towns in Malta Local councils of Malta