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Churches and Chapels
In spite of the
presumed limited population during the Medieval period, the Gharghar
[sive` Arar] region was alrready well equiped to address the needs of
the farming communities in the locality. The region originally housed
the parochial church of St. Helena, situated possibly close to the Ta’
Cieda Tower. Abandoned during the 14th century, the remains of this
church were still extant in 1575 when the Apostolic Visitor Mgr Petrus
Dusina wrote his report. Dusina wrote “Sanctae Helenae – Visitavit
aliam Ecclesiam ruralem sub vocabulo Sanctae Helenae constructam in
pertinentia Bircalcariae in contrata nuncupata Arar, quae alias dicitur
fuisse parrochialis Ecclesia, habet altare, caret rectore, introitibus,
portis ligneis, et omnibus alijs necessarijs ex devotione Michael
Borgiu in eadem die festivitatis celebrare facit missam tantum, non
celebretur amplius, nisi postquam fuerint factae portae ligneae.” Other
churches located in the Gharghar region mentioned by Dusina were those
dedicated to Santa Margarita, Sant Andrea, San Bartholomew and San
Leonardo. The latter cave-chapel, located in the Mensija suburb, is
today known as the Chapel of the Annunciation [Lunziata Chapel] and is
associated with a popular medieval legend. The locality during this
period fell under the jurisdiction of the Birkirkara Parish. The ceding
of the Maltese Islands in 1530 to the Order of St. John and the
aftermath of the 1565 Great Siege brought a degree of safety from the
recurrent Turkish raids that plagued the inhabitants of the San Gwann
region in previous decades. This led to an augmentation in the
population living in the locality as evidenced by the establishment of
further chapels including that dedicated to San Gwann tal-Gharghar
[c.1646] and that dedicated to Sts Philip and James [c.1730]. The
Parish Church dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes was inaugurated in
1959.
 Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church: The
Maltese ecclesiastical authorities entrusted the locality of Msierah,
today known as San Gwann, to the Franciscan Capuchin Fathers of the
Malta province. The Second World War was getting harsher and the Island
suffered continuous heavy bombardment. Thus, the Capuchin Fathers
unfortunately could not take immediate responsibility of the spiritual
welfare of the locality entrusted to them. The population then counted
about three hundred people. When the 2nd World War was over, the
Capuchin Fathers took responsibility of the Msierah locality, that is,
on the 21st February 1947. The first friars were Fr. Felic Scicluna and
Fr. Joseph Mary Spiteri. The friars took up temporary residence at 152,
St. Julian Street, close to San Gwann ta’ l-Gharghar Chapel. They
celebrated their first mass at the chapel in the presence of many local
people. After mass, the Capuchin Fathers kept permanently the Blessed
Sacrament in the chapel's tabernacle for the adoration of the local
faithful. A month later Fr.Teophilus Ebejer joined the other two
friars. On the 3rd November 1949 the foundation work to build a friary
and a church commenced. Mr. Joseph Borg and his son Felic donated the
land. By the 15th of September 1950, the ground floor building of the
friary was complete. One side of the friary building served as
temporary chapel, in which the Blessed Sacrament was solemnly
transferred from San Gwann ta’ l-Gharghar Chapel. The friars
established their residence in the remaining rooms of the newly built
friary. The benefactors  Mr. Joseph Borg and
his son  Felic also donated
992 square meters of land where now stands the St. Joseph Parish Centre
with its play ground. On the 13th September 1953 the foundation stone
of the parish church was laid and blessed by His Lordship Mgr. Emanuel
Galea. The parish church was inaugurated on 20th December 1959 and
consecrated on 12th May 1962 by His Grace Mgr. Michael Gonzi. The
ever-increasing number of residents felt an urgent need for upgrading
the status of their locality to that of a parish. The church
authorities acceded to their plea on the 12th September 1965. In a
pastoral letter, His Grace Mgr. Michael Gonzi announced that the
Msierah locality, now called San Gwann, had become a new parish and was
to have Our Lady of Lourdes as its titular patron. The parish was
inaugurated on the 21st September 1965 and Rev. Fr. Leopold Tabone ofm.
Cap. was hence appointed as its first parish priest. So far, the parish
had four parish priests: Fr. Leopold Tabone 1965-1983. Fr. Donat
Spiteri 1983-1991. Fr. William Axiaq 1991-1995 and Fr. Joe Mallia
appointed in 1995 who gave place to Fr.Effie Mallia in 2004. At
present, the parish has a population of 13,000 parishioners, coming
from different localities on the island and from all walks of life.
There are three processions in the parish every year. One commemorating
Our Lady of Sorrows during Lent, a week before Good Friday, the other
on the eve of the feast of Corpus Christi, the third on the first
Sunday of August, the titular feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
 
Chapel of the Annunciation, Mensija: The
Chapel at Mensija originally dedicated to St. Leonard has been in
existance since at least the 16th century having been mentioned by the Apostolic Visitor
Mgr Petrus
Dusina in 1575. Dusina wrote "Sancti Leonardi. Visitavit etiam aliam
Ecclesiam sub Sancti Leonardi invocatione constructam Bircalcariae;
habet altare, et portas ligneas, sed caret rectore, introitibus, et
omnibus alijs necessarijs sed Joannes Michallef casalis Bircalcariae,
qui dictam Ecclesiam aedificavit sunt anni tres incirca, obligavit
dictae Ecclesiae clusam eidem coniunctam, et quam ipse Joannes possidet
pro celebratione vesperarum, et missae, in die festivitatis in eadem."  The chapel had been
associated with a popolar medieval miraculous legend. According to this
legend, during the early 15th century, the farmer owning the land of
the locality noticed one evening a streak of light piercing an
underground stone fissure. After digging to enlarge the entrance, he
was shocked to find a three-wick oil lamp facing a sacred image within
the cave. Removal of the sacred image only resulted in its miraculous
return to the cave. In view of this, the cave was cleared and turned
into a cave chapel. Following some unexplained vicissitudes, during
which the chapel was closed down on two occasions, the chapel's legend
was "rediscovered" in 1690. This rediscovery naturally led to the chapel's
rehabilitation, though the cave chapel retained its original structure.
It was only in late 19th
Century, after some alleged miraculous
cures that considerable adjustments were effected. An upsurge of
popular
devotions – as testified by the numerous ex-votos that once filled this
chapel’s interior – took place. During the late 19th and early 20th
century, the present enlargement took place and the
forty-step stairway was constructed. This staircase was adorned in the
early
1930’s by Luigi Micallef, a sculpturer from Balzan, with a
set of twelve stone statues representing
the twelve apostles. At the
bottom of the steps is a statue of Christ the Redeemer. The original
cave chapel adorned with an altar lies to the left of the staircase. Set
in a deep niche to the right
side of the altar stands the ancient wooden triptych of St. Leonard flanked
by Archangle Gabriel and the Madonna – probably a 14th century
painting with Byzantine overtones. The present titular of the main
altar incorporating in one scene the
Annunciation and St.
Leonard, is a fine 17th Century
painting akin to
Francesco Zahra’s or Rocco Buhagiar’s school. Following recent
restorations that have uncovered the rock texture of the cave, old rock
cuttings came to light indicative of original walls, cave entrance and
lamp
holes. Facing the main altar to the extreme right, two baroque
doorways lead to
the sacristy upon which stands the organ loft. Coming out of the chapel
one cannot fail to notice the big stone statue of Our Lady of the
Auuniciantion which once adorned the Parish Church at Balzan.
Santa Margerita Chapel:  This chapel is another medieval chapel
mentioned by the Apostolic Visitor
Mgr Petrus
Dusina in 1575 who wrote "Sanctae Margaritae. Visitavit etiam alliam
Ecclesiam ruralem sub vocabulo Sanctae Margaritae in pertinentia
Bircalcariae, constructam in contrata Arar, quae habet altare, caret
portis ligneis, rectore, introitibus, et omnibus alija necessarijs, sed
Salvus Calleja ex devotione sua in die festivitatis in eadem celebrari
facit missam rantum. Dominus mandavit non celebrari, nisi appositis
portis ligneis, quibus Ecclesia decenter custodiatur." The chapel was
allowed to deteriorate and was closed down in 1605. However, Giacomo
Pullucino restrored the chapel and set us a foundation for the regular
celebration of Mass. In 1658, at the request of the Birkirkara Parish
Priest, Bishop Balaguer gave his permission to allow the burial of
Pullicino and his family within the chapel. In 1680, the chapel was
visited by Bishop Giacomo Molina. During the Second World War, the
chapel was completely destroyed. It has since been rebuilt in the
original 17th century style and in 1990 opened for use by prayer groups
and church associations. The chapel of Santa Margerita is now
being used frequently as an addoration chapel.
 San Gwann tal-Gharghar Chapel:
Situated on the road to Sliema, this chapel was originally
build by a private family around 1546. In 1659, Bishop Balaguer
profaned the chapel. The chapel was reopened in 1672, but during his
pastoral visit in 1680, Bishop Molina commented on the deteriorated
state of the chapel. When the Franciscan Capuchin
Fathers, requested by Archbishop Mgr M. Gonzi, established themselves
in the locality in 1947, they used the restored chapel for the
community's religious functions until the completion of their frairy's
in 1950. The chapel today is used by the organization MUSEUM for
catechetical instruction.
 Sts. Philip and James Chapel:
Situated on the road to Naxxar, this chapel was built in 1730 by the
provost of the Birkirkara Chapter Fr. Gaspare Giuseppe Vassallo to
service the spiritual needs of the farmers in the area. The altar was
embelished by a titular painting showing the two saints on the style of
the Maltese painter Gannikol Buhagiar. In year 2000,
this chapel was restored and was
embelished by a decent churchyard.
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