St.Margaret's Church and Monastery

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Location: St Margaret Church, Triq Santa Margerita, Bormla

The first church in Cospicua dedicated to St Margaret existed before 1622 but it was demolished to build the fortification of Cospicua on the same site. The knights of St John donated money and a piece of land for the construction of a new church. The construction of the church was completed in 1720. One of the main benefactors was Grand Master de Vilhena. The church contains 3 altars. The main altar is made of marble whilst the other two altars are made of stone. In 1726 monk Anton Barbara and Fr Pietru Saliba had the desire to build a conservatory for women who wished to live a religious life. Various paintings are found in the church including the painting of St Francis de Paola and the painting of St Joseph. On each side of the door one finds a memorial stone. One of the memorial stones honours the four people who were significant for the foundation of the monastery. These 4 people were monk Anton Barbara, Fr Pietru Saliba, bishop Alpheran de Bussan and Grand Master Manuel de Vilhena. The other memorial stone commemorates the day when bishop Vincenzo Labini consecrated the church on 28th October 1787. The monastery serves as a Convent for enclosed Discalced Carmelite Nuns. In collaboration with Kottonera Foundation.

L-ewwel knisja f'Bormla ddedikata lil Santa Margerita kienet teżisti qabel l-1622 iżda ġiet imwaqqa' biex jinbnew is-swar ta' Bormla fuq l-istess sit. Il-kavallieri ta’ San Ġwann taw flus u biċċa art għall-bini tal-knisja l-ġdida. Il-kostruzzjoni tal-knisja tlestiet fl-1720. Wieħed mill-akbar benefatturi kien il-Gran Mastru de Vilhena. IlA-knisja fiha 3 altari. L-artal maġġur huwa magħmul mill-irħam filwaqt liż-żewġ artali l-oħra huma magħmula mill-ġebel. Fl-1726 il-patri Anton Barbara u Dun Pietru Saliba kellhom ix-xewqa li jibnu konservatorju għal nisa li xtaqu jgħixu ħajja reliġjuża. Diversi pitturi jinsabu fil-knisja fosthom il-pittura ta’ San Franġisk de Paola u l-pittura ta’ San Ġużepp. Fuq kull naħa tal-bieb wieħed isib lapida. Waħda mill-lapidi tonora lill-erba' persuni li kienu sinifikanti għall-fondazzjoni tal-monasteru. Dawn l-4 persuni kienu l-patri Anton Barbara, Dun Pietru Saliba, l-isqof Alpheran de Bussan u l-Gran Mastru Manuel de Vilhena. Il-lapida kommemorattiva l-oħra tfakkar il-ġurnata meta l-isqof Vincenzo Labini kkonsagra l-knisja fit-28 ta’ Ottubru 1787. Fil-monasteru jgħixu s-Sorijiet Karmelitani Skalzi tal-Klawsura. B’kollaborazzjoni mal-Fondazzjoni Kottonera.