Lija

Transfiguration Parish Church

Lija became a parish on the 6th February 1594 and a hundred years later saw the start of the present building. Bishop Labini dedicated it on the 25th July 1782. The corner stone of this Church was laid on the 20th May 1694 and the building was completed in six years. It was planned by the Maltese architect Gianni Barbara who was the architect of the Church of St.James in Valletta (1712), most of the fortifications of Floriana (1725) and the Arch of Sa Maison (1738) amongst other works. The church has two belfries which were added in 1709. The church was modified again in 1780 when it took its present cruciform shape. It is rich in paintings by Cali, Favray, and Zahra and even by the Mattia Preti School.

The Saviour Old Parish church

This church was the parish church of Lija in 1594 before the present parish church was built. It was designed by Glormu Cassar of Valletta fame. Nowadays it is used to house religious exhibitions. A smaller church dedicated to St Roque and St Sebastian was mostly dismantled and its footprint taken by the transept of the Holy Crucifix of The Saviour church. There still remains some beautiful architecture from this church, namely the main door with some balcony supports above it. These can be seen from the side yard of the church of the Saviour. In the present parish church, there is an altar dedicated to these Saints who protected the people of Lija from the Cholera of 1813.

Annunciation ta' Zebbug

In the neighbourhood of Hal Mann, this church is recorded in 1601 when Leonardo Agius of Balzan used to have Mass celebrated on the feast day. It had a wooden triptych which represented the Annunciation and St Joseph and continued to function till 1658.

Annunciation ta' Zuna

In 1575, it is stated that Julian Vella was the founder of this church which stood on the way to Attard. Its canonical deconsecrating followed in 1659, but it was reopened to public worship at the request of the Grand Master Nicholas Cottoner who, till his death, used to have Mass celebrated here every Saturday. In 1667, it was once more closed down. In 1755  a niche depicting the Annunciation scene was raised on the site where this church once stood, together with a statue of St Joseph.

Assumption / Annunciation Ta' Bieb Ninu

This church was already dedicated to the Annunciation in 1575. Later however, it is referred to as an Assumption church. It was eventually closed to all form of worship in 1658. During the middle of the 18th century plans for its rebuilding were in the offing but were shelved as it was deemed more convenient to proceed with the rebuilding of St Peter's church.

Immaculate Conception Ta' Brincat

The founder of this church of the Annunciation in the village of Brincat now absorbed by Lija, was Pancrazio Agius who was still in charge of it in 1575. Its deconsecration was decreed in 1618 but Domenico Agius nicknamed 'Marrubia' promised to remedy for its needs and even rebuild it. He kept his word, and by 1647 the new church was ready but from then on it was dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.

Nativity of Our Lady tal-Belliegha

In 1575 this church was dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady, and continued to function till 1658 when it sustained the fate of a previous church that stood on the site before it. In 1666, however, it was formally reopened. It was rebuilt somewhat away from its original site in 1740 and the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady began to be celebrated in it when its dedication was definitively changed. Af.ter restoration inside and out in 2023, the authorities are saying that its actual dedication is St Catherine of Alexandria.

Nativity of Our Lady ta' Duna

Marino Portelli, nicknamed 'Id-duna', from Lija, was the founder of this church. The records of Notary Angelo Bartolo, dated 25th July 1569 give the details of its foundation. In 1575 its building had already reached completion. Although closed to public worship in 1658, it was rebuilt in 1755. Fr Saviour Micallef and his brother Fr Michael defrayed the expenses involved in its re-building. Michele Busuttil painted the titular.

Nativity of Our Lady Hal Mann

Mons. Dusina included this church in his report of 1575. On the 13th June 1593 Giovanni Cuschieri provided a bequest for this church, which was recorded by Notary Simone Galea. Its site served as a burial place for a great benefactor of Lija's parish church, cleric Giacomo Abela who died during the 1676 plague. Bishop Cannaves decreed the annual blessing of his tomb during November.

Nativity of Our Lady Tal-Mirakli

This church was built between 1664 and 1666 to replace an older and smaller pre-1570 chapel in the little village of 'Hal-Bordi' on the outskirts of Lija. It is square with simple doric architecture, a rounded ceiling and a hexagonal structure supporting the dome. Mattia Preti painted the titular and it is one of his finest works. On the 20th February 1743 the painting of Our Lady & Baby Jesus was said to have shed tears and the very next day, a major earthquake struck Malta yet no buildings fell or any people were killed. Word of the alleged miracle spread quickly. In 1747 Bishop Alpheran De Bussan wrote about the popularity of the church. Marriages may be celebrated here. Its dedication date is the 23rd Dec. 1787. It is said to be in the exact centre of Malta.

St Agatha

A church which was deconsecrated and nowadays serves as a private residence can be found close St Peter’s church.

St.Andrew

This was the first church to be built in Lija. Erected in 1594 and serving as the first parish church, it was rebuilt in 1628 according to an inscription on the facade. Today religious associations use it for meetings. St.Andrew's Band Club across the street took its name from this church.

St.Bartholomew

This is a chapel which in a 1762 report is mentioned existing within the then limits of Lija.

St.Paul

In 1971 the Ursuline Sisters built an institute or refuge for abused women. It also contains a small chapel dedicated to St.Paul.

St.Peter

The first chapel on this site was built in the 16th century. In 1658 it was deconsecrated and then rebuilt in 1724. The belfry is from 1950. It is situated near a Dominican monastery and home for the elderly. The Dominican Sisters have been in charge of this chapel since 1916.