Chapel of Christ the Saviour, Qrendi

The Chapel of the Transfiguration of Jesus or simply known as Our Saviour's or Tas-Salvatur is a Roman Catholic chapel located in the village of Qrendi in the south of Malta.

Chapel of Our Saviour
The Church of the Transfuguaration of Jesus
Il-Kappella ts-Salvatur
Chapel of Our Saviour
35°50′09.1″N 14°27′35.1″E
Location	Qrendi
Country	Malta
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Status	Chapel
Dedication	Transfiguration of Jesus
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Administration
Archdiocese	Malta
Parish	Qrendi

History

This chapel is first mentioned in Pietro Dusina's report of his apostolic visit to Malta in 1575. Dusina visited the chapel on 9 February 1575, the first chapel he visited in Qrendi. Dusina mentions that the church had one altar but lacked any other objects necessary for services, including a rector and an income. However, Vincentius Aquilina, a nearby resident used to organise a service and vespers on the feast day.

In 1618 the Bishop of Malta Baldassare Cagliares visited the church and mentions that it had an altar, a bell and a cemetery. Bishop Cagliares visited the church again in 1621. In 1636, his successor Miguel Juan Balaguer Camarasa visited the church as well and found it in the same condition as Bishop Cagliares describes. Some years later the same bishop, during an apostolic visit to the village (1656-1659) mentions that the chapel of Our Saviour as a new building, indicating that the original medieval chapel was demolished when a new one was built instead. In fact the present church was built in 1658 by Beneditto Camilleri.

In the 1960s the church was used as a parish hall. It was fully restored back to its original appearance and use in 1997, both internally and externally.

Interior

The chapel ceiling is beautifully painted with floral designs, restored in 1997. The chapel has one altar which may have been installed in 1876. Above the main door there is a balcony adorned with pillars with the date 1876 sculpted on them, indicating when the gallery was built. The chapel lacks a titular painting however in the 17th and 1?th century, respectively, two different painting adorned the altar however no one knows what happened to these paintings.