Basilica of the Nativity of Mary (Xagħra)
The Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary ( Maltese Il-Bażilika ta 'Marija Bambina , locally called Il-Bambina for short ) is a church in Xagħra on Gozo in the Diocese of Gozo . The patron saint's day of the birth of Mary also reminds of September 8, 1565, when the siege of Malta ended. Hence the name of the church is Mary of Victory .
history
In the place of the current church there was already an older church. The foundation stone of today's church was laid in October 1815, the church consecration was on May 26, 1878. In 1967 it was by Pope Paul VI. raised to the status of a minor basilica .
Building
The Marian basilica of Xagħra is, despite its construction in the 19th century, like many other Maltese churches, still entirely in the Baroque style. The three-aisled nave opens into a transept, behind which the choir opens. Over the crossing is a drum dome . The portal facade is flanked by two towers. The magnificent interior of the church with numerous side chapels is completely lined with marble and decorated with sculptures and wall paintings. The most important piece, however, is the statue “il-Bambina”, a statue of the Virgin Mary that came to the island of Gozo from Marseille in 1878.
Web links
- Parish Church of the Madonna. (PDF; 499 kB) In: National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. Sovrintendenza tal-Patrimonju Kulturale, August 27, 2012, accessed on October 19, 2019 .
- The Basilica of the page Gozo (English)
Coordinates: 36 ° 3 ′ 1.3 ″ N , 14 ° 15 ′ 54.5 ″ E