Our Lady of Damascus (Madonna ta’ Damaxxena) Greek-Catholic Church in Valletta (Malta)
The church was built between 1576 and 1587 by the Rhodian Noble Giovanni Kalamias on the site donated by Grand Master del Monte (1565–1572, cfr. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_de_Monte). During World War II it was destroyed on 24th March 1942, but was rebuilt and consecrated on 15th August 1951 by bishop Georgios Halavazis (Γεώργιος Χαλαβαζής, 1881-1957, cfr. http://www.elcathex.com/eke/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1250&Itemid=), from 1920 till 1957 titular bishop of Theodoropolis and Apostolic Exarch of Istanbul and, from 1932, Greece (of the Faithful of Byzantine Rite). The treasures of this church are the Icon of Our Lady of Damascus, which was crowned in 1931, on the 15th Centenary of the Council of Ephesus (A.D. 431). It was brought over by some Greeks who accompanied the Knights of St John when they were expelled from Rhodes in 1523. The other Icon is that of the Virgin Eleimonitria. During the Second World War more than 30 Icons of different sizes were lost under the ruins of the church. These were replaced by over than 30 new Icons, mostly the work of the Russian artist Gregorio Malzteff (1881 – 1952). But one can still admire the precious Icon of the Depositon from the Cross, a Crucified Christ made by the local painter Anton Inglott (1915-1945), and the Icon of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin made by the contemporary Ukranian artist Giovenale. Priest in charge of the church is, for the last 50 years, Papas Vito Borgia (cfr.http://www.jemi.it/la-chiesa-italo-albanese/leparchia-di-piana-degli-albanesi-mainmenu-51/comunicati-mainmenu-535/1205-papas-vito-borgia-per-50-anni-a-malta) from the Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi in Sicily.
Address Greek Catholic Church “Our Lady of Damascus” 132 A, Archbishop Street Valletta VLT 1444 Telephone 2123 7872
Holy Liturgy Sundays and Feastdays: 9.00 am Weekdays: 7.30 am
So very, very nice to see a post from you - it's been a while. Hope all is well with you and thank you for the great links, with beautiful photos as always.
Many years,
Neil
"One day all our ethnic traits ... will have disappeared. Time itself is seeing to this. And so we can not think of our communities as ethnic parishes, ... unless we wish to assure the death of our community."
In January 2010, after half a century of dedicated service to the Greek Catholic Parish of Our Lady of Damascus, the Parish priest Papas Vito Borgia retired to his native Sicily. He was succeeded by Archimandrite George Mifsud who took possession of the Parish on December 6th 2009. During the past thirty years, Papas George has been the spiritual director at the Pontificial Greek College in Rome. At the possession ceremony, celebrated at the Church of St. Nicholas (Merchants Str. Valletta), Mons. Anton Gouder represented the Archdiocese of Malta. Members and friends of the Greek Catholic Parish, as well as relatives of Papas George, attended the ceremony.
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