Cathedrals and Churches in Malta

 

The centre of Siggiewi is dominated by the imposing baroque parish church of St Nicholas. Designed by Lorenzo Gafa', who was also responsible for the Mdina Cathedral, St Nicholas' is one of the finest examples of a baroque parish church on the islands. Its huge dome, visible on the skyline for miles, is a late 19th century addition to the 1697 construction. In this church one finds the remains of St Vincent and St Pius.

The titular painting was created by the famous Mattia Preti, while the painting of Our Lady of the Rosary was depicted in 1703 by Mattia Perez Aleccio.
The square in front of the church is remarkable for its size, its two chapels and the massive statue of St Nicholas. This statue is the work of one of Malta's most renowned sculptors, Pietro Felici, who carved this statue out of one huge stone block in the early years of the eighteenth century. This is, in fact, his only known stonework. Saint Nicholas of Bari, the protector of this village, is the forerunner of present-day Father Christmas, because he used to give presents to poor children. In fact he is usually shown holding three small sackfuls of money, as in this statue. A peculiarity of this area concerns the annual procession in honour of St Nicholas, when the procession does not proceed along the main streets of the village but simply goes around the statue and back to the Church.