St. Ubaldesca Church: Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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The church is dedicated to [[Saint Ubaldesca]], who was born in [[Calcinaia]], near [[Pisa]], in 1136, and joined the [[Order of St. John of Jerusalem]] at the age of fifteen.<ref>{{cite web |
The church is dedicated to [[Saint Ubaldesca Taccini]], who was born in [[Calcinaia]], near [[Pisa]], in 1136, and joined the [[Order of St. John of Jerusalem]] at the age of fifteen.<ref>{{cite web |
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|title=St. Ubaldesca, Virgin of the Order of Malta |
|title=St. Ubaldesca, Virgin of the Order of Malta |
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|url=http://smom-za.org/saints/ubaldesca.htm |
|url=http://smom-za.org/saints/ubaldesca.htm |
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Revision as of 20:37, 20 April 2016
| St. Ubaldesca Church known as Knisja ta` Sant`Ubaldeska | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Region | South |
| Rite | Latin |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Parish |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Paola, Malta |
| Geographic coordinates | 35°52′18″N 14°30′20″E / 35.87167°N 14.50556°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Style | Baroque |
| Completed | 1630 |
The St. Ubaldesca Church (Maltese: known as Knisja ta` Sant`Ubaldeska) is a 17th-century baroque church built during the Order of St. John in Paola, Malta. The building is a historic landmark, being the oldest church established in the locality and is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands (NICPMI).[1]
History
The church is dedicated to Saint Ubaldesca Taccini, who was born in Calcinaia, near Pisa, in 1136, and joined the Order of St. John of Jerusalem at the age of fifteen.[2] The foundation stone of the church was laid on 25 August 1630 under the auspice of Antoine de Paule, who was elected as the 56th Grand Master of the order on 10 March 1623. The feast of Saint Ubaldesca was commonly celebrated as the official village feast on 28 May years following the foundation of the original chapel.[3]
After the Military Order left the island, the church became property of the state. After the 19th century, the population of the parish began to flourish and the church struggled to meet the spiritual needs of the people. In 1883 the archbishop received a letter from the parish expressing their wish for the church to fulfill its role for the growing community. On 17 July 1901, the ownership of the church was relinquished to the ecclesiastical authorities, at the request of bishop Peter Pace, to serve as a parish church. During that year, a committee, presided by Marquis Giorgio Crispo Barbaro di San Giorgio and Fr. Francis Attard, was founded to take upon itself the task to foresee that materials were gathered and upgrading works were done on the church. Upgrading works were completed on 15 September 1901.[3] In 1902, the church was enlarged and its original altarpiece, a painting by Bartolomeo Garagona, was replaced by a painting by Lazzaro Pisani.[4]
The church ceased to be the parish church of Paola in around 1928 when religious rituals began to be held within the church of Christ the King, which had been appositely built to cater for the growing population in the town. Between 2007 and 2008 the church underwent restoration works. Prior to the time, the facade had fallen in disrepair, with various structural damages to the sides and roof.[5]
References
- ^ "Church of St. Ubaldesca, NICPMI Inv. No. 00643" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 20 April 2016.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=requires|archive-url=(help) - ^ "St. Ubaldesca, Virgin of the Order of Malta". Order of Malta in South Africa. 20 April 2016.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=requires|archive-url=(help) - ^ a b "Il-Knisja ta' Santa Ubaldeska, Raħal Ġdid". Kappelli Maltin. 20 April 2016.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=requires|archive-url=(help); Check date values in:|archivedate=(help) - ^ "St Ubaldesca church". Times of Malta. 20 April 2016.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=requires|archive-url=(help) - ^ "Paola Church being restored". Malta Independent. 20 April 2016.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=requires|archive-url=(help)