St.Bartolomew Parish Church in Gharghur
This church was built in 1612 based on a design by the young architect Tumas Dingli. Construction took 26 years to complete, finishing in 1638, on the same site where a much smaller church once stood. It was built in the Doric style in the shape of a Latin cross, facing west, as was customary at the time. The church is structured with a central nave, two large chapels, and a choir.
The ceiling is truly magnificent, featuring a semi-circular design known as a "troll imkittef," resting on a cornice and intricately carved pilasters. Around the church, you will find twelve marble crosses symbolising the twelve apostles, along with another cross at the high altar, representing Christ. In addition to these crosses, a commemorative plaque is affixed to one of the main pilasters, marking the church’s consecration.
The construction of the dome began in 1634 and took four years to complete.
The magnificent decorative work was carried out in the first half of the 20th century. The painting and gilding of the gallery’s shell-shaped design took approximately 35 years to finish. At times, the work had to be halted, particularly during World War II.
It is important to mention that much of this work was carried out by volunteers, especially those working on-site. The decorative process began in 1924, following a design by Captain Robert. The decoration of the ceiling was particularly challenging, as every intricate detail of each rib of the dome required meticulous craftsmanship.
On the four pendentives, resting on the major pillars that support the dome, we see the four Evangelists: Saint John, Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, and Saint Luke. These were painted in 1939 by the artist Ġużeppi Briffa and were the last artworks completed in the church before the outbreak of World War II.
Ġużeppi Briffa painted these images on canvas before affixing them directly onto the stone inside the church. The Evangelists are depicted seated, surrounded by clouds, with a vivid blue sky in the background, giving the artwork a mosaic-like effect.
The Church of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle and Martyr, was consecrated on the 22nd of April, 1736, by Bishop Monsignor Fra Pawlu Alpheran de Bussan.
The Titular Statue of Saint Bartholomew
This artistic statue represents Saint Bartholomew and serves as a reminder of his martyrdom.
In his left hand, he holds the knife that was used during his flaying, while with his right hand, he lifts the mantle that carries his own skin.
This titular statue was purchased from Rome and arrived in the village of Għargħur in 1772. It is attributed to the Maltese sculptor Melchiore Gafà, who was working in Rome at the time. However, when it arrived in our village, it was unfinished, and the renowned artist Francesco Zahra completed it.
In 1912, the statue underwent restoration and was gilded with gold by Francesco Coleiro in his workshop on St Christopher Street, Valletta.
In 2005, a conservation project was carried out to preserve the statue’s historical and artistic significance.