Mqabba

Mqabba is a town in the south of Malta. Situated at the heart of a soft limestone area, the surrounding of this village is barren and stripped with quarries. Mqabba is renowned for the construction industry, and holds more than a quarter of the quarries in Malta. With around 3,700 residents, Mqabba still carries the characteristics of a typical Maltese village, with stillness prevailing in the small streets of the village. Mqabba was built around the Parish Church, being the predominant landmark of the village. The Parish Church is dedicated to the Assumption, with its feast being held every 15 August. Another feast is that of Our Lady of Lilies (Madonna tal-Gilju), celebrated in the third Sunday of June.

The two band clubs of the village are situated in the pjazza. The village feasts are very popular with the residents. In fact, particular attention is constantly made year after year on the fireworks displays. This is very crowd catching, not only for the Maltese, but also for the tourists who visit the island during the summer season. Other feasts celebrated are the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Sorrows, Corpus Domini and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

Other landmarks in the village include several chapels dedicated to the Lady of Sorrows, Saint Basil, Saint Michael, Saint Catherine and Saint John. Mqabba also boasts of a stretch of around 139 cubic metres of catacombs which were discovered in the 1860s. The motto of this particular village reads 'Non Nisi Per Ardua' which translates into 'Only with Ability', and reflects the strong character of the inhabitants.

The importance of Mqabba is even shown in the archaeological remains found in the vicinity of Mqabba. Extinct animals were found in quarries at "Ta` Kandja" and "Tax-Xantin". A sign that Neolithic people lived here, was evident with the discovery of a nearby cave found in a site known as "Bur Meghez". However one of the most important discoveries in Mqabba are the Paleo Christian "Mintna Catacombs" found in Diamond Jubilee Square in 1860 by Dr. A. A. Caruana and Capt Strickland. In fact this is a complex of catacombs. The ritual table known as the "Agape" table dominates the whole structure of tombs. Archaeological details were studied by Mayr. Becker, Zammit and Bellanti.

Mqabba presents a collage of the old and the new, the traditional and the innovative. This collage gives a particular identity to this small village in the South Eastern part of Malta.

Amongst other important structures, one can find Vincenti Tower, and various chapels such as the Chapel of St. Basil, Our Lady of Sorrows, St. John and St.Catherine of Alexendria.

The main church is dedicated to Assumption of Our Lady. Santa Marija feast in celebrated on 15 August. Other feasts celebrated - the feast of Our Lady of Lilies (Madonna tal-Gilju)is a secondary fesat and is celebrated the week ending in the third Sunday of June, The feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrated the nearest Sunday for 8 December, other secondary feasts include Our Lady of Sorrows, Corpus Domini and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

The titular statue found in the church, that of the Assumption of the blessed Mother of God, was made by Alessandro Farrugia in 1836 and was made similar to the statue of the Assumption which is found in Ghaxaq, made out of wood. The photograph shows the statue in its original form, as it was prior to 1928, when a new sarcophagus made of silver replaced the original wooden one seen in the picture. Apart from the sarcophagus, the statue itself has lost none of its characteristics.

The Assumption of Mary is celebrated on 15 August, and is also celebrated in Qrendi, Gudja, Ghaxaq, Mosta, Attard and Victoria (Gozo). It is all celebrated in the same day, as a tradition.