According to tradition, St Paul embarked the vessel heading to Rome from the neighbourhood of Maħten it-Tin. To this effect, on 13 November 1590, Francesca Micallef made a generous donation for the building of a church on this site. Construction works came to a close in 1595, and the church was equipped with the required paraphernalia within a short time.

Present Church

St Paul Church was rebuilt in the form of a Baroque rotunda during the second quarter of the 18th century. Bishop Paolo Alferan De Bussan blessed the first stone on 11 August 1735. Construction works lingered on for five years, and the newly built church was eventually blessed on 22 October 1741.

Exterior

The exterior elevation takes the shape of an octagon. Four of the resultant segments are exposed, though the main façade points towards St Paul Street. This comprises the main door, a niche holding the statue of St Paul, a window and a shield displaying the saint’s symbols. The verticality of this composition is further accentuated by the flanking pilasters, the crowning pediment, and the fronting parvis.

Interior

A total of three altars adorn the internal ambience, which is in turn dominated by an octagonal dome. The lateral altars are dedicated to St Barbara and the Holy Family, whereas the titular painting shows the conversion of St Paul. The sculpted elements, particularly the capitals and the cornices are of high calibre. Also worthy of note are the two wood balconies above the main door. These were intended for the musicians and choir members animating the sacred liturgy.

Works of Art

The articulated architecture of St Paul Church is complemented by an interesting hoard of works of art. These include the main altar canvas by Rocco Buhagiar, the side altarpiece of the Sacred Family by Ġanni Vella, the corresponding canvas of St Barbara and a sottoquadro of St Anthony of Padua. The church’s aristocratic ambience is further enhanced by the statues of Baby Jesus, St Mary Goretti and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The latter was produced by Carlo Darmanin. A more artistically significant wooden statue of St Andrew by Salvatore Psaila was also to be found in this church. This was relocated to the Sacristy of the Immaculate Conception Collegiate in 1991.

Milestones

1595: construction of first church

1602: pastoral visit by Bishop Tomaso Gargallo

1735: blessing of first stone of extant church

1741: blessing of extant church

1781: initiation of Bishop Vincenzo Labini pastoral visit of Bormla from this church

1918: replacement of side altar painting of St Francis of Paola by canvas of the Sacred Family

2002: extensive restoration of building