St Paul tal-Ħġejjeġ Sanctuary - St Paul’s Bay, Malta - Three-Arched Historic Loggia

The historic Sanctuary of St Paul tal-Ħġejjeġ in St Paul’s Bay, distinguished by its broad staircase and elegant three-arched entrance loggia.

This photograph shows the Sanctuary of St Paul tal-Ħġejjeġ in St Paul’s Bay, Malta. A broad flight of stone steps rises towards the entrance, while the distinctive façade is dominated by a three-arched loggia extending across the front of the church and a simple bell-cot crowned by a cross. The sanctuary is closely associated with Malta’s long tradition surrounding the shipwreck of St Paul in AD 60. The Maltese name Ħġejjeġ means bonfires and recalls the traditional belief that a fire was lit in this area to warm the survivors after they reached the shore. A church dedicated to St Paul was already established here by the early 16th century and was recorded during the apostolic visitation of 1575. In 1610 Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt arranged for the church to be rebuilt a short distance from its earlier location as part of his strong support for the Pauline sites of Malta. The sanctuary was later damaged during the Second World War and subsequently reconstructed, preserving its characteristic historic appearance and its important connection with the religious heritage of St Paul’s Bay.