Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, Nadur

Sts Peter and Paul Basilica
The Basilica and Collegiate Matrix Parish church of St Peter and St Paul
Il-Bażilika u Kolleġġjata Arċipretali ta' San Pietru u San Pawl
Sts Peter and Paul Basilica
36°02′15.6″N 14°17′39.1″E / 36.037667°N 14.294194°E / 36.037667; 14.294194
Location	Nadur
Country	Malta
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	www.nadurparish.com
History
Founded	28 September 1760 (1760-09-28)
Dedication	Saint Paul Saint Peter
Consecrated	12 May 1867
Architecture
Status	Active
Functional status	Parish church
Administration
Parish	Nadur
Diocese	Gozo
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Mario Grech
Dean	Saviour Muscat
Archpriest	Jimmy Xerri
Precentor	Joseph Muscat
Canon Treasurer	Martin Portelli

The Basilica of St Peter and St Paul is a Roman Catholic minor basilica located in Nadur, Gozo in Malta. The church also serves as the parish church of the village of Nadur.

History

The parish of Nadur was established by the Bishop of Malta Davide Cocco Palmeri on 28 April 1688. Since the main church was not yet constructed, the church of the Immaculate Conception in Qala, by then still part of the parish territory, became the parish church for some years. The construction of the present church was started on September 28, 1760 and the design is attributed to the Maltese architect Giuseppe Bonici. Construction on the church finished on 12 May 1867. The third Collegiate chapter of Gozo was established on 19 September 1894.^[1]

This church is one of the most beautiful churches on the island. In 1907 a refurbishment programme took place to construct the aisles, dome and façade based on the Italian Renaissance design of Prof. F.S. Sciortino. The ceiling, depicting episodes connected with St. Peter and Paul, was painted by Lazzaro Pisani (hailing from Ħaż-Żebbuġ), while the architectural decorations are the work of the Italian Pio Cellini. Principal force behind all these new projects was Archpriest Martin Camilleri. The church became a minor Basilica on 26 June 1967.^[2]

References