History of Our Parish

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On the 23rd September 1948 Baron Pietru Pawl Testaferrata Moroni Viani donated the land in Ta’ Xbiex on which the fourth convent of the Teresian Carmelite Fathers would be built. The First Stone of the convent was placed and blessed by the Provincial Fr. Angelicus Buttigieg OCD on the 6th December 1949.

On 25th July 1954, the First Stone of the Ta’ Xbiex church dedicated to St. John of the Cross was placed and blessed by Teresian Carmelite Bishop Mons. Teofano Stella who at the time was Apostolic Prefect of Kuwait. The building of the church was done between the years 1954 and 1958.
The style of the church is a mixture of Basilical and Roman styles with a striking simplicity.

On 28th November 1958, the church was opened and blessed by the Archbishop of Malta, Mons. Mikiel Gonzi, and celebrated the first Mass in the new church.

The same Archbishop Gonzi in 1969, on the 19th January, consecrated the new marble altar and celebrated the first Mass on this new altar.

Mons. Gonzi established the Ta’ Xbiex Parish on 1st June 1969.

In 1971 a large steel Crucifix was placed which dominates the church and attracts the attention of everyone entering the church. The cross is 420 cm high and 240cm wide. The cross is based on a drawing by St. John of the Cross (originally 5.7cm by 4.7cm). This cross may be the largest reproduction of its kind and the only silhouette cross in the world. It was paid by Messieurs Cecil and Marionne Pace. It was cast in steel by Metal Studio Ltd. Underneath it you can see the words by St. John of the Cross – Fejn m’hemmx imhabba, qieghed l-imhabba u tiehu l-imhabba (where there is no love, put love and you will reap love).

The church was solemnly consecrated as a place for divine worship on 1st June 1989 by Archbishop Joseph Mercieca and the Bishop of Kuwait Francis Adeodato Micallef OCD.

Our parish was the first one in Malta to set up its own website, back in late 1996 / early 1997.