St Helen's Basilica
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox church
| name = Basilica of St Helen
| fullname = The Basilica and Proto-Collegiate, Parish Church of St Helen
| native_name = Il-Knisja ta' Santa Liena
Il-Bażilika u Proto-Kolleġġjata Arċipretali ta' Sant' Elena
| native_name_lang = {{mr}}
| image = St Helen Parish Church Birkirkara Malta -1244497030.jpeg
| caption = Exterior of the Basilica
| coordinates = {{coord|35.9000|14.4653}}
| consecrated date = 19 April 1745
| location = Birkirkara
| country = Malta
| denomination = Roman Catholic
| previous denomination =
| churchmanship =
| membership =
| attendance =
| status = Collegiate Church, Minor Basilica, Parish Church
| website = [https://stelenamuseum.com/ stelenamuseum.com]
| architect = Salvu Borg
| architectural type = Church
| style = Baroque
| general_contractor =
| facade_direction =
| groundbreaking =
| specifications =
| capacity =
| length =
| width =
| width_nave =
| height_max =
| archbishop =
| bishop =
| dean = Anton Mallia Borg
| provost = Mons Louis Suban.
| provost-rector =
| viceprovost =
| subdean =
| precentor = Ġużepp Micallef
| archpriest =
| chancellor = Charles Gauci
| canonchancellor =
| canon =
| canonmissioner =
| canonpastor =
| canontreasurer =
| succentor =
| archdeacon =
| prebendary =
| rector =
| vice-rector =
| vicar =
| curate =
| priestincharge =
| priest =
| asstpriest =
| minister =
| assistant =
| honpriest =
| deacon =
| deaconness =
| seniorpastor =
| pastor =
| abbot =
| chaplain =
| sacristan =
}}
St Helen's Basilica ({{langx|mt|Il-Bażilika ta' Sant' Elena}}) is an 18th-century Roman Catholic church situated in Birkirkara, Malta.{{cite book|last1=Rix|first1=Juliet|title=Malta and Gozo|date=2015|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=9781784770259|page=227|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WmKKCwAAQBAJ&q=st+helen+church+b+kara&pg=PA227}} It is built on the baroque design by Salvu Borg and built by Mason Domenico Cachia.{{cite book|last1=Hughes|first1=Quentin|authorlink1=Quentin Hughes (architect)|title=Fortress: Architecture and Military History in Malta|date=1969|publisher=Lund Humphries|page=194|isbn=9780853310556|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KYdoAAAAMAAJ&q=st+helen+church+b+kara}}{{cite book|last1=Guillaumier|first1=Alfie|title=Bliet u Rħula Maltin, Second Volume|date=2002|publisher=Klabb Kotba Maltin|language=Maltese|isbn=99932-39-16-X|pages=65–66}} The design was inspired by, and is similar to, the Mdina Cathedral by Lorenzo Gafa.{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dwlAAAAAIAAJ&q=1760 | title=Notes for a History of Art in Malta| last1=Sammut| first1=Edward| year=1955}} It was built to replace the role of the main old Parish Church of St. Mary (still parish church of the area) that was damaged in the 1856 earthquake.{{cite web|last1=Scerri|first1=John|title=Birkirkara|url=http://www.malta-canada.com/churches-chapels/Birkirkara.htm|website=malta-canada.com|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304215044/http://www.malta-canada.com/churches-chapels/Birkirkara.htm|archivedate=4 March 2016}} It eventually became the Collegiate Church and then a Minor Basilica.{{cite web|title=Dati Importanti fl-Istorja tal-Parroċċa|url=http://santaliena.org/storja.html|website=Parroċċa Sant'Elena|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317034402/http://santaliena.org/storja.html|archivedate=17 March 2016|language=Maltese}} The current parish archpriest is Mons Louis Suban.
History
Birkirkara is one of the 12 Maltese parishes which existed in 1436 (close to the site of Ta' Ċieda Tower in modern San ĠwannLuttrell, Anthony, [http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Melita%20Historica/MH.08(1980-83)/MH.8(1980)2/orig07.pdf "The Capella of Birkirkara: 1402"], p. 157 (read also footnote 6 and inscription of 'Archivio Vaticano, Reg. Lat. 107, f. 71v-72v (12)' on pages 158-9).Buhagiar, Mario (2005), [https://books.google.com/books?id=t-XpAAAAMAAJ&q=st+helen+church+b+kara+church+on+site "The late Medieval art and architecture of the Maltese islands"], Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, {{ISBN|9993210358}}, 9789993210351, p. 193), the year of the Rollo drawn up by the bishop of Malta, Senatore Mello.
The Ta' Xennu Church was built in 1575 and rebuilt in 1692 on the site of the present church that was dedicated to the Assumption. The 17th-century church was demolished to make way for the present St. Helen Church when the parish church was at the time the old Santa Maria Church. A small chapel dedicated to the assumption was included and built within the design of the St. Helen Church as a replacement of the 17th-century church. The St. Helen's Church became parish church soon after its completion and then a basilica. The large garden space of Vincenzo Borg's townhouse was donated by Brared to build the church's front, stairs and main square.Zammit, Andre (2009), [http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2012-03-11/news/200-year-old-history-in-an-old-musty-archive-307055/ "200-year-old History in an old musty archive"]. The Malta Independent. Retrieved February 22, 2016. When Vincenzo died he was buried in the church's crypt.{{cite book|last1=Schiavone|first1=Michael J.|title=Dictionary of Maltese Biographies Vol. 1 A-F|date=2009|publisher=Pubblikazzjonijiet Indipendenza|location=Pietà|isbn=9789993291329|page=289}} The church was designed by Maltese Architect Salvu Borg (1662-1733).{{cite web|last=Xuereb|first=Philip|date=2011|title=Mastru Salvu Borg: l-arkitett tal-knisja ta' Santa Liena|url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/12298|publisher=Kolleġġjata Bażilika Sant'Elena Imperatriċi Awgusta, Programm Festa 2011|language=Maltese|pages=59–67}}
The parish was dedicated to St Helen, and this was also the titular saint of the church built in the 18th century and still existing today.{{cite web|title=Birkirkara Parish Church|url=http://www.malta.com/en/local-information/parish-church/birkirkara|website=malta.com|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304222554/http://www.malta.com/en/local-information/parish-church/birkirkara|archivedate=4 March 2016}} The church is also famous for housing Malta's largest church bell, installed around 1932.{{cite news|last1=Grima|first1=Noel|title=The largely unsung history of Malta's bells|url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-12-09/newspaper-lifestyleculture/The-largely-unsung-history-of-Malta-s-bells-6736127045|work=The Malta Independent|date=9 December 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305031957/http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-12-09/newspaper-lifestyleculture/The-largely-unsung-history-of-Malta-s-bells-6736127045|archivedate=5 March 2016}}{{cite book|last1=Bonnici|first1=Joseph|last2=Cassar|first2=Michael|title=A Chronicle of Twentieth Century Malta|date=2004|publisher=Book Distributors Limited|isbn=9789990972276|page=130|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b4ZoAAAAMAAJ&q=st+helen+church+b+kara}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/238258/baroqueroutes10.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920171649/https://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/238258/baroqueroutes10.pdf|url-status=dead|title=|archivedate=20 September 2022|website=www.um.edu.mt}}
On 5 December 1630 Pope Urban VIII established the collegiate chapter of church through the papal bull Sacri Apostolatus Ministerio.{{cite web|title=Newest collegiate chapter invited by the oldest|url=http://www.stgeorge.org.mt/news_details.asp?NewsID=247|website=St George's Basilica|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303075401/http://www.stgeorge.org.mt/news_details.asp?NewsID=247|archivedate=3 March 2016|date=7 August 2005}}{{cite news|last1=Azzopardi|first1=Silvio|title=St Helen's collegiate rights|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20070304/letters/st-helens-collegiate-rights.24690|work=Times of Malta|date=4 March 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221634/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20070304/letters/st-helens-collegiate-rights.24690|archivedate=3 March 2016}} The present church was built in the centre of the Birkirkara{{cite book|last1=Bell|first1=Simon|last2=Morse|first2=Stephen|title=Measuring Sustainability: Learning By Doing|date=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781136561337|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MxGxNyeVnLEC&q=st+helen+church+b+kara&pg=RA1-PT39}} on a much larger scale then the previous 3 churches that stood on the site. The cornerstone of the present church was laid on 27 April 1727 by Bishop Gaspare Gori-Mancini.{{cite journal|last1=Sciberras|first1=Sandro|title=Minn xiex għaddejna|journal=Festa Santa Marija Birkirkara 2015|date=May 2015|page=22|url=http://www.santamarijabirkirkara.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Ktejjeb-Festa-Santa-Marija-2015.pdf|publisher=Parroċċa Santa Marija – Birkirkara|language=Maltese}} A medal of St Helen and the names of the then Pope and bishop were also buried with the cornerstone. The church was blessed by Bishop Paul Alphéran de Bussan on 19 April 1771. The church was then consecrated by Bishop Vincenzo Labini on 20 October 1782. The church was elevated to the dignity of a Minor Basilica on 18 January 1950 by Pope Pius XII.
See also
{{Portal box|Catholicism|History|Malta}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160810040059/http://www.culturalheritage.gov.mt/filebank/inventory/Chapels%20and%20Niches/00235.pdf National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands]
{{Parish churches in Malta and Gozo}}
Category:Collegiate churches in Malta
Category:Basilica churches in Malta
Category:National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands