Dedicated to Our Lady of Porto Salvo, this church is known as St Philip’s due to its association with the Congregation of Oratorians founded by St Philip Neri in Rome during the 1570s. Indeed, in 1662, Bishop Miguel Juan Balaguer Camarasa offered this church and the adjoining residence to the Congregation of Oratorians established in Senglea. A corresponding Congregation was set up in Birgu (see ST MARY OF ANGELS CHURCH AND CONVENT, BIRGU). The flourishing of this community gave rise to the construction of a convent in 1669.

The Construction of the Church

The church originated in 1596 on the initiative of Parish Priest Vincenzo Caruana with the intent of reaching out to the inhabitants of the peninsula’s tip. The dedication to the Visitation of Mary to St Elizabeth, or as popularly known Our Lady of Porto Salvo, had a special meaning for the sailors and the port workers. It was rebuilt between 1670 and 1693, and eventually enlarged and endowed with a dome on the designs of Petruzzo Debono in 1743. Bishop Vincenzo Labini consecrated it in 1781.

The Façade

The church faces the Grand Harbour entrance. The extremities of the façade are defined by pillars, but its main door proves to be the most dominant element. It is fronted by a narrow parvis reached via lateral flights of steps. An open stone balcony takes up the middle section of the elevation. This is topped by a niche of Our Lady and Baby Jesus, which, in turn, reaches up to the cornice and is crowned by a pediment.

The Interior

The church has a Latin-cross plan, namely an aisle with three bays, two transepts and a choir. The titular painting shows Our Lady of Porto Salvo blessing the Grand Harbour in the presence of St Paul, St Agatha, St Catherine of Alexandria, and St Jerome. This painting is by Stefano Erardi and is complemented by Pietro Paolo Zahra’s elaborate reredos.

More Information

Following the death of the last member of the Congregation of Oratorians in 1928, the manning of this church was entrusted to Fr Anton Galea. From 1940, then, it served as parish church until the reconstruction of the Nativity of Our Lady Basilica in 1957. Eventually, in 1958, the church and adjoining convent were handed over to the Jesuit Friars, who offered their pastoral services from these premises until 2005. Our Lady of Porto Salvo Church and Convent have been hosting a community of Salesian Friars since 2008.

Milestones

1596: building of first church dedicated to the Visitation of Mary to St Elizabeth

1655: building of abutting house

1661: submission of request to take over the church and adjoining house by the Congregation of Oratorians

1662: acceptance of Oratorians’ request

1669: building of convent

1670: rebuilding of church

1743: further enlargement of church and the building of the dome

1943-57: serving as Senglea Parish Church

1958-2005: hosting a community of Jesuit Friars

2008: entrusted to the Salesian Friars