Qrendi Parish Church




	Palazz Marija Assunta Triq Rokku Buhagiar, Qrendi QRD 1011 MALTA Tel. 356 2164 2224





		When the Bishop of Malta Mons. Balthasar Cagliares was on a Pastoral Visit at Zurrieq the Qrendi people living a bit far from Zurrieq parish presented a request so that Qrendi would be separated from Zurrieq to become a new Parish. After studying the proposal the Bishop granted the wish and made Qrendi a New Parish on the 15th February 1618. When Qrendi was declared a parish the first thing was to consacrated it to the Assumption of our Lady . Instead of two other small churches a new church started to be build in 1620, which took almost 50 years to build gradually and was ready in 1679. Again it became too small as the population started to grow steadfastly so the parish priest Fr.Gio Marija Camilleri prepared to build another parish church which started to be build in 1685. The best place and the best architect of those days Lorenzo Gafa' were chosen. The result was an imponent church the shape of a Latin Cross which took twenty seven years to build. Mons. Achille Ferris wrote that the Qrendi Church is one of the most beautiful and perfect churches around. It was ready in 1712 and was consecrated by Bishop Labini on the 13th October 1782


	Last Update: August 2008


	SIX OF THE TEN ALTARS




		Immaculate Conception with St. Rocque and St. Rosalia also by Stefano Erardi


	Our Lady of the Belt, by Romario Cali, Son of Giuseppe Cali and paid by Fr. Gwann Callus


	This consists of a group of Saints such as St. John Baptist, St. John Evangelist, St. Paul, St. Catherine, St. Lucia and St. Nicholas and was painted by Francesco Zahra




		Our Lady of the Rosary by Gannikol Buhagiar an 18th Century Maltese artist




		Our Lady of Carmelite by French Enrico Regnaud




		St. Stephen surrounded by two Archangels, St. Micheal with a sword, St. Gabriel with gladioli and St. Ann and St. Rosa of Lima painted by Stefano Erardi in1677

In the church there are ten altars, and an Italian marble pavement which was made in 1955 by designer Manwel Buhagiar. The church boasts of various paintings that have been commissioned along the years. The main painting depicting the Assumption of our Lady was painted in 1917 by the famous artist Giuseppe Cali' (1846-1930). Much recent ones are the paintings of the ceiling and cupola which depict the life of Our Lady, and others of biblical personages like the four paintings of four famous women, Ruth, Abigail, Deborah, and Rachel which were made in 1977 by Paul Camilleri Cauchi .

Biblical Women: Abigail, Deborah, Rachel and Ruth






	The inside of the Church with the marble pavement, bought from Lyons, France and two large Crystal Chandeliers worked by Pisani of Hamrun, Malta .dressed with Damask for the Feast in August




				The Painting of the Convoy





			The paintings at each side of the Convoy, Moses and John the Baptist




	St. Mary's Assumption by Giuseppe Cali ' donated by Dun Frangisk Bugeja, at the main Altar

A most interesting one lies on top of the entrance door which was made in 1972, depicts the historical episode of the Second World War when a Convoy of ships which were the Port Chalmers, Rochester Castle, Melbourne Star, Brisbane Star and Ohio entered Grand Harbour half sunk with provisions, in time to feed and provide for a derelict and starving population. This happened on the 13th, 14th and 15th August, Feast of Our Lady's Assumption which was considered a miracle. These paintings were made by the Maltese Knight Paul Camilleri Cauchi , a Gozitan famous artist. All these latter works were made between 1971 to 1996 during the period that Father Karm Attard was Parish Priest, and will be remembered for making the church, one of the most beautiful in Malta .

The First Titular Statue of Qrendi

   This statue which can be found at the Parish of Qrendi, which is exposed to the public in the niche of The present Statue during the fortnight of the feast in August, is one of a very few statues sculpted in wood by a Maltese Artist in the 17th Century.
   A long curving figure of the Virgin Mary synonym with Gothic art of an era long gone. It is classified as one of a few examples of this kind of Maltese art and named by critics of art as a very rare treasure of great artistic value. This statue used to be taken out in procession about 350 years ago on the feast of The Immaculate Conception in Cospicua on the 8th of December.
   When a new statue was made, it was given to the Parish of Qrendi by a Cospicuan Parish Priest of Qrendi, Dun Anton Mizzi. It used to be taken out in procession on the Assumption Day in Qrendi on the 15th August . So it served as the Titular Statue of St Mary of Qrendi as of Cospicua .
   This statue was taken from Qrendi to Cospicua for a pilgrimage on the 25th June 2003 as a special attraction, to prepare for the 100th anniversary of the Coronation of the Immaculate Conception of Cospicua on the 25th June 1905, as it was the oldest Titular statue of the Parish of Cospicua.