Immaculate Conception Parish Church

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The Collegiate church of the Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic Parish church. On the same site of the church previously there was a chapel which was built before the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. However, because the population of Cospicua was increasing, in 1637 the chapel had to be enlarged. Nonetheless, in 1684 the chapel became too small to accommodate all parishioners, thus it was decided that it would be demolished, and a bigger church would be constructed. The designs of the new church were the work of Vincenzo Casanova whilst those of the bell towers were made by Lorenzo Gafà. As a result of various problems including the terrible effects of the plague of 1676, years of drought and poverty as well as problems in deciding the designs of the side chapels, the construction of the church took about 50 years. The church was completed in 1732 and was consecrated by Bishop Alpheran de Bussan. In 1822, Pope Piu VII gave the church the status of Collegiate. The church miraculously survived the bombing of World War 2 which destroyed the whole town. The church features various precious works of art such as the statue of the patron Saint of Cospicua the Immaculate Conception that dates back to 1689 and was carved in wood by Sr. Maria De Domenicis, a Carmelitine nun. The church houses several other statues and paintings most of which are dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Today the church of the Immaculate Conception is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. In collaboration with Kottonera Foundation.​

 

​Il-Knisja Kolleġġjata tal-Immakulata Kunċizzjoni hija knisja Parrokkjali Kattolika Rumana. Fl-istess sit fejn hemm il-knisja kien hemm kappella li nbniet qabel l-Assedju l-Kbir tal-1565. Madankollu, minħabba li l-popolazzjoni ta’ Bormla kienet qed tiżdied, fl-1637 il-kappella kellha tiġi estiża. Minkejja dan, fl-1684 il-kappella saret żgħira wisq biex takkomoda lill-parruċċani kollha, u għalhekk ġie deċiż li titwaqqa' u tinbena knisja akbar. Id-disinji tal-knisja l-ġdida kienu xogħol Vincenzo Casanova filwaqt li dawk tal-kampnari saru minn Lorenzo Gafà. Minħabba diversi problemi fosthom l-effetti ħżiena tal-pesta tal-1676, snin ta' nixfa u faqar kif ukoll id-diffikultà biex jiġu deċiżi d-disinji tal-kappelli tal-ġenb, il-bini tal-knisja ħa madwar 50 sena biex jitlesta. Il-knisja tlestiet fl-1732 u ġiet ikkonsagrata mill-Isqof Alpheran de Bussan. Fl-1822, il-Papa Piju VII ta lill-knisja l-istatus ta’ Kolleġġjata. Mirakolużament il-knisja ma sofrietx danni waqt l-ibbumbardjar tat-2 Gwerra Dinjija li qered il-belt kollha. Il-knisja fiha diversi opri ta’ arti prezzjużi bħall-istatwa tal-patruna ta’ Bormla, l-Immakulata Kunċizzjoni li tmur lura għall-1689 u kienet imnaqqxa fl-injam minn soru karmelitana bl-isem ta’ Sr Maria De Domenicis. Il-knisja fiha diversi statwi u pitturi oħra li l-biċċa l-kbira minnhom huma ddedikati lill-Verġni Marija. Illum il-knisja tal-Kunċizzjoni hija mniżżla fl-Inventarju Nazzjonali tal-Propjetà Kulturali tal-Gżejjer Maltin. B’kollaborazzjoni mal-Fondazzjoni Kottonera.