26/06/2023
The parish church of Xewkija is nothing short of an architectural gem fitting for this historical town in , .
Commonly referred to as the Rotunda church due to its huge dome that is visible from several vantage points across the island, the church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The feast is traditionally celebrated on the first Sunday following the liturgical feast day of the saint, June 24th.
The church is the Seat of the Knights of the Order of St. John, and was built from Maltese limestone by local masons and craftsmen. The elaborate stone craftsmanship present in this church is nothing short of impressive. The church replaced an older church.
GOZO'S OLDEST TOWN
Xewkija (pronounced as sceu-chi-ia) is the fourth largest town in Gozo, after Victoria, Xagħra and Nadur - and is also its oldest.
Xewkija is situated between Għajnsielem and the capital city, Victoria.
THE FIRST PARISH OUTSIDE RABAT
Xewkija became the first parish outside Victoria (ir-Rabat) on the 27th November 1678. It was separated from the Matrix church by Bishop Miguel Jerónimo de Molina. Dun Grezz Farrugia, from Valletta, became its first parish priest. It became the first district 'contrada' to be known as 'casale' or village.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
The name Xewkija is derived from the Maltese word "Xewk", meaning "thistles" or "thorns".
LEGENDS ABOUT SAINT PAUL AND XEWKIJA
One legend has it that when St. Paul shipwrecked on Malta in 60 A.D., his sermon of the new faith to the Maltese in San Pawl tat-Tarġa, Naxxar, Malta, could be heard from as far as Xewkija, where locals demolished an old pagan temple and started building a new church.
Another legend says that it was St. Paul himself that had recommended the building of a church dedicated to the precursor to Jesus Christ here, St. John the Baptist.
Fact or fiction, what is for certain is that the remains of a prehistoric temple were indeed unearthed in Xewkija in 1647.
ORIGINS OF THE PARISH CHURCH
As Xewkija's population grew at a fast pace, in the 17th century four locals from Xewkija felt the need for the hamlet to become a parish and petitioned with the Bishop of the time, Michele de Molina, to get permission to also build a new church to cater for the growing population's religious needs. Many locals agreed to contribute financially towards this cause. The Bishop agreed, and on the 27th of November 1678, Xewkija became a parish, making the community the first village in Gozo.
THE OLD PARISH CHURCH
What would be the original Xewkija parish church was built in 1726 from the designs of Maltese architect Ġużeppi Azzopardi from Vittoriosa (Birgu), Malta. The construction work was carried out under Dun Dumink Abela, who passed away only six years later.
In 1736 a belfry was added to the parish church. Then, in 1755, the parish received its consecration from Bishop Paul Alpheran de Bussan.
Additional work was carried out over the years before the church finally received its dome in 1830, over hundred years since it started being built. Another fifth years would pass before Giovanni Gallucci was commissioned to create a painting depicting the Glory of St. John the Baptist on the dome - a painting that would be later lost when this church was demolished to make way for the new parish church we find today. Some small fragments of this painting were recovered and can be viewed in the museum of sculpture annexed to the present parish church of Xewkija.
THE NEW PARISH CHURCH
After World War II, Xewkija’s population swelled and Archpriest Rev. Ġuzepp Grech gained permission to build a new church, big enough for its 3,000 villagers.
BUILT BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE, WITH LOVE
Locals immediately rallied, raising thousands, donating family heirlooms, jewellery, even Gozitans who’d emigrated overseas sent money. Archpriest Ġuzepp Grech made house calls collecting donations, parishioners gave what they could; farmers and fishermen gave up a share of their produce, villagers continually funded and resourced the construction.
An impressive act by the worshippers, who with their love, devotion, blood, sweat and tears built the church despite living in a time in which many of them were poor, working as fishermen, farmers and construction workers.
THE BIGGEST CHURCH ON GOZO CROWNED BY A HUGE DOME
The parish church of Xewkija has a plethora of interesting features, the most visible of which is an imposing dome that pierces the skyline and is visible from several vantage points across the island of Gozo.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Rotunda church, as it is known due to its huge, round dome, is the biggest church on Gozo. It is an architectural gem built in a neo-classical style. This sometimes confuses tourists who assume it is a very old church. It was actually built between 1951 and 1970 on the designs on Guzè Damato, born in Tunisia in 1886. Damato died in 1964 and could not thus live to witness the completion of what would be his finest creation.
A curious thing worth noting is that Damato, in 1951, had insisted for the church's construction to begin on the 19th of November because he said all his major works had commenced on that day.
THE FOUNDATIONS
A cross where the choir of the new church was to be located was ceremoniously placed on the 3rd of May 1952 after having been processionally carried through the main streets of Xewkija. The foundation stone, weighing approximately one tonne, was blessed
and laid by the Bishop of Gozo, Mgr. Joseph Pace a day later. Within a hollow in this stone were placed some silver and gold coins, relics of saints and a parchment bearing some words.
STATS OF THE THE CHURCH
Although only 67km², Gozo is home to 50 glorious churches. Each village has a church which is central to community life. Climb any high viewpoint overlooking Gozo and you’ll see many beautiful church domes or spires piercing the skyline.
The Rotunda church in Xewkija is one of our most celebrated churches of Gozo. Dedicated to St. John the Baptist, its dome internally spans 64 metres in length and is 43 metres wide. The internal diameter of the dome is 24.5 metres. The dome weighs 45,000 tonnes. The church has the third largest unsupported dome in Europe, behind St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
The Xewkija parish church's dome is supported on eight columns that are 13.5 metres high. These columns represent the eight beatitudes. The church has six transeptal chapels designed by Ġużè Galea.
On the same day that the dome was completed, it was crowned with a large wooden cross, some 2.5 meters high and 2 meters wide, and weighing 72kg. It was blessed by Apostolic Nunzio, Mgr. G. Majoli amid much cheering and rejoicing. Mgr. Nicholas Cauchi, Bishop of Gozo also attended the ceremony.
THE SEARCH FOR THE BEST QUALITY STONE FOR THE CHURCH
Another noteworthy occurrence during the construction of the new parish church was the continuous search for the best quality stone to build the church with. At first, the rock was quarried from Barriera tal-Bur on the outskirts of Għajnsielem. But when this was found to be of unsatisfactory quality, stone was quarried from St. Elizabeth Street in Sannat. Yet again, however, this did not meet with the high standards set by those constructing the church. So from then on, the stone was brought from a quarry in Għarb.
THE MASONS
The masons involved in the construction of the new Xewkija parish church were two men from Xewkija, Joseph Cauchi and Anthony Vella. With them, Emmanuel Saliba from Għarb also contributed with his work. However, Cauchi had to pull out of the project after four years due to health problems, whereas Vella too was forced to retire due to old age but the latter was replaced by his brother Joseph Vella. Joseph Vella famously erected the eight columns representing the eight beatitudes in the 1950s.
WORKS OF ART
A set of six paintings by Chev. Paul Camilleri Cauchi from Victoria, Gozo adorn the walls of the Rotunda. These depict scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist.
Ġużè Galea from Rabat, Malta designed the apse, the six architectural perspectives and the marble floor.
Twelve marble crosses adorn the walls inside the church. These used to hang in the old church but were encased in bronze Maltese crosses, made by the Stefano Sibelio factory in Italy, on a design by Ġużè Galea.
THE LAST MASS IN THE OLD PARISH CHURCH
During the construction of the new parish church, the old church, on which the new parish was being built, still remained functional in order the see to the religious demands of the local community. The last mass to be celebrated in the old church before it was fully demolished took place on the 2nd of April, 1972.
RELICS OF THE OLD CHURCH SURVIVE
Together with other items of interest to the public, the fragments of the painting that once adorned the dome of the old parish church can be found today inside the museum of sculpture annexed to the present church. And this building is actually what remains of the old church. During the dismantling of the old church, each stone was meticulously numbered so that the structure could be reassembled in its present location. The foundation stone was laid on August 29th 1978, on the occasion of the feast of the Martyrdom of St. John.
THE CONSECRATION OF THE NEW CHURCH
The new parish church was blessed on the 17th of June 1978 by Mgr. Nicholas Cauchi. This date coincided with the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Xewkija parish.
A SPECIAL TITULAR STATUE
On the 22nd of June some 176 years ago, the statue of St. John The Baptist, the locality’s patron saint, arrived to Xewkija.
To mark this event, in 2020 the titular statue underwent a restoration and conservation process.
The Xewkin, as the locals of Xewkija are known, take pride in their freshly restored titular statue, a masterpiece sculpted in wood by Pietro Paolo Azzopardi in Valletta in 1845. He was the same artist who made the statue of St. George's basilica (San Ġorġ) of Victoria as well as many other statues in Malta and Gozo. The pedestal of the statue underwent induration work by the talented Publio Magro as part of last year's restoration process.
MORE PHOTOS
Follow this link to view the church’s interior: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=392465592235256&set=a.209859747162509
And here’s another photo of the church: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=372215007593648&set=a.209859747162509
PS: These photos are not from the 2023 feast but they decorations, including the umbrella, are similar.
Photo Copyright © Kappa Vision / Jean-Paul Borg.
References:
- Mark Zerafa, The Gozo Observer, Issue 28, 2013;
- Yippee Malta, yippeemalta .com;
- Wikipedia.
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