The Saint Publius Parish Church ( mt, Knisja Arċipretali ta' San Publiju), also known as the Floriana Parish Church ( mt, Knisja Parrokkjali tal-Furjana) is a
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
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, ...
in
Floriana
Floriana ( mt, Il-Furjana or ''Il-Floriana''), also known by its title Borgo Vilhena, is a fortified town in the South Eastern Region area of Malta, just outside the capital city Valletta. It has a population of 2,205 as of March 2014. Floriana i ...
,
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 ...
, dedicated to
Saint Publius
Saint Publius ( mt, San Publju; grc-gre, Πούπλιος) is a first century Maltese bishop. He is venerated as the first Bishop of Malta and one of the first Bishops of Athens.
Publius is Malta's first acknowledged saint, the prince of the ...
. It was constructed at several stages between the 18th and 20th centuries.
History
The first stone of the Church of St. Publius was laid down on 2 August 1733 by Bishop
Paul Alphéran de Bussan
Paul Alphéran de Bussan was a French Roman Catholic archbishop who served as Bishop of Malta from 1728 till 1757.
Early life
Born in Aix-en-Provence, France on 28 October 1686 of noble parentage, Paul Alphéran de Bussan graduated in Bachelor of ...
, in the presence of Grand Master
António Manoel de Vilhena
António Manoel de Vilhena (28 May 1663 – 10 December 1736) was a Portuguese nobleman who was the 66th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem from 19 June 1722 to his death in 1736. Unlike a number of the other Grand Ma ...
. The
sacristy
A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.
The sacristy is usually located ...
was completed seven years later and it began to be used as a small church by the inhabitants of the then newly built suburb of Floriana. Construction was complete by 17 January 1768, when the relic of Saint Publius was brought to the church.
The original design of the church is attributed to Francesco Marandon.
The church was originally part of the
parish of St. Paul of
Valletta
Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and capital city, capital of Malta. Located on the Malta (island), main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, i ...
.
![Floriana - O’hara (smith) - - 1859](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Floriana_-_O%E2%80%99hara_%28smith%29_-_-_1859.jpg)
The façade of the church began to be rebuilt in 1771, and the dome was constructed in 1780. It became a vice-parish in 1776,
and the church was consecrated by Bishop
Vincenzo Labini
Vincenzo Labini (28 April 1735 – 30 April 1807) was an Italian archbishop who served as Bishop of Malta from 1780 till 1807.
Biography
Labini was born in Bitonto, Italy on April 28, 1735. In 1758 he was ordained priest of the Sovereign Milita ...
on 20 March 1792. It became a parish in March 1844, after a decree was issued by
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI ( la, Gregorius XVI; it, Gregorio XVI; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in 1 June 1846. He h ...
.
The naves and an oratory were constructed between 1856 and 1861. A new façade was built by Nicola Zammit between 1884 and 1890. Two new bell towers were also built in 1889 and 1892. The church's interior was embellished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Part of the church's façade and its dome were destroyed by aerial bombardment during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, when it was hit by bombs on 3–4 March and 28 April 1942 and sixteen people were killed. The nearby
Sarria Church
The Church of the Immaculate Conception known also as Sarria Church is a Roman Catholic Rotunda church in Floriana, Malta.
History
The original chapel was built in 1585 with funds provided by the Knight Fra Martin Sarria Navarra. Following the d ...
became a temporary parish church until the Church of St. Publius was reopened on 10 December 1944. Reconstruction of the church was carried out by the architect Gustav Vincenti, and it was completed in the late 1950s. The interior was embellished in the following decades, being fully completed in the early 1990s.
![Malta - Floriana - Triq San Publiju - St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Malta_-_Floriana_-_Triq_San_Publiju_-_St._Publius_Parish_Church_in_05_ies.jpg)
The church is scheduled as a Grade 1 national monument, and it is also listed on the
.
Architecture
The façade of the Church of St. Publius consists of a
neoclassical portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...
topped by a triangular
pediment
Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape.
Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds.
A pedimen ...
, flanked by a
bell tower
A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...
on either side. A statue of
Christ the King
Christ the King is a title of Jesus in Christianity referring to the idea of the Kingdom of God where the Christ is described as seated at the right hand of God.
Many Christian denominations consider the kingly office of Christ to be one of ...
stands on the top of the façade.
The church has a
cruciform
Cruciform is a term for physical manifestations resembling a common cross or Christian cross. The label can be extended to architectural shapes, biology, art, and design.
Cruciform architectural plan
Christian churches are commonly described ...
plan with a dome and a richly decorated interior.
The altarpiece showing the martyrdom of Publius dates back to 1773, and it is the work of
Antoine de Favray
Chevalier Antoine de Favray (8 September 1706, Bagnolet – 9 February 1798, Malta) was a French painter noted for his portraits of personalities of the Ottoman Empire, as well as paintings of Grand Masters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malt ...
and his pupil Filippo Vincenzo Pace. The ceiling is decorated by paintings depicting
Saint Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
's shipwreck and his stay in Malta. Several other paintings are also found in the church, including works by
Giuseppe Calì
Giuseppe Calì (14 August 1846 – 1 March 1930) was a Maltese painter of Italian descent.
Biography
Born in Valletta, Calì was baptised at the Dominican Parish Church of Porto Salvo, one of the seven offsprings of the artist and musici ...
,
Emvin Cremona
Emanuel Vincent "Emvin" Cremona (27 May 1919 – 29 January 1987) was a Maltese artist and stamp designer. He is regarded as one of the best Maltese artists of the 20th century. Cremona is known for designing most Maltese stamps from 1957 to th ...
and many other artists.
The titular statue of St. Publius was completed in 1811 by the sculptor
Vincenzo Dimech
Vincenzo Dimech (29 June 1768 – 2 February 1831) was a Maltese sculptor. He is best known for his religious sculptures, which include the titular statues of Gudja and Floriana. He also sculpted monuments or architectural features in Valletta a ...
.
See also
*
Culture of Malta
The culture of Malta reflects various societies that have come into contact with the Maltese Islands throughout the centuries, including neighbouring Mediterranean cultures, and the cultures of the nations that ruled Malta for long periods of ti ...
*
History of Malta
Malta has a long history and was first inhabited in around 5900 BC. The first inhabitants were farmers, and their agricultural methods degraded the soil until the islands became uninhabitable. The islands were repopulated around 3850 BC ...
*
List of churches in Malta
*
Religion in Malta
The Catholic branch of Christianity is the predominant religion in Malta. The Constitution of Malta establishes Catholicism as the state religion, and it is also reflected in various elements of Maltese culture; however, in recent years the ...
References
External links
Official website*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Publius Parish Church
Floriana
Limestone churches in Malta
18th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Malta
19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Malta
20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Malta
National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
Roman Catholic churches completed in 1768
Neoclassical church buildings in Malta