| Collegiate of St Paul | |
|---|---|
| The Collegiate Matrix Parish church of Saint Paul | |
Il-Knisja Kolleġġjata Arċipretali u Matriċi ta' San Pawl | |
 Façade of the Church of St Paul's Shipwreck | |
 Collegiate of St Paul | |
| 35°53′51″N14°30′50″E / 35.89740°N 14.51386°E /35.89740; 14.51386 | |
| Location | Valletta,Malta |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1570 |
| Dedication | Saint Paul |
| Dedicated | 15 May |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Collegiate church Parish church |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Baroque |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | 2 |
| Bells | 7 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Malta |
| Parish | Valletta |
| Clergy | |
| Archpriest | Alex Cordina |
TheCollegiate Parish Church of St Paul's Shipwreck, also known as simply theChurch of St Paul's Shipwreck, is aRoman Catholic parish church inValletta,Malta. It is one of Valletta's oldest churches.[1]
Saint Paul the Apostle is considered the spiritual father of the Maltese. His shipwreck on Malta is described in theNew Testament (Acts 28, 1). St. Luke wrote, "we found that the island was called Melita".[2]: V
The church traces its origins to 1570s, was designed byGirolamo Cassar, and completed in December 1582. The church was ceded to the Jesuit Fathers and a new church was started in 1639. The church's facade was rebuilt in 1885 according to the design ofNicholas Zammit.[2]: 6
The church building is listed on theNational Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[3]
In 2024, the church building was featured in Season 28 of ABC'sThe Bachelor when Bachelor Joey and contestant Lexi visited the church during a date.[4]
The church hosts fine artistic works, including the magnificent altarpiece byMatteo Perez d'Aleccio, the paintings by Attilio Palombi, andGiuseppe Calì.[2]: 8, 15, 35 The wooden titular statue ofSt Paul was carved in 1659 byMelchiorre Cafà, the brother ofLorenzo Gafà who designed the dome.[2]: 42, 18 The statue is paraded through the streets of Valletta on the feast day of St Paul's Shipwreck, February 10.[1][5] One can also view the relic of the right wrist-bone of St Paul, and part of the column fromSan Paolo alle Tre Fontane, on which the saint was beheaded inRome.[2]: 38, 60
Media related toChurch of St Paul's Shipwreck at Wikimedia Commons
