Nadur Basilica

St Peter and St Paul

Dedication Date
12 May 1867

Parish Archpriest
Mgr Jimmy Xerri
Mob: 99448706
Email: jimmyxerri@tiscali.it

Parish Office
Pjazza 28 ta’ April 1688, Nadur NDR 1033
Telephone: 21551649 – 21562284 (Church)
Fax: 21551649

Website
http://www.nadurparish.com/

Community Radio
Radju Luminarja – 106.9MHz FM
http://www.radjuluminaria.com/

Email
peterpnadur@gmail.com

Mass Schedule (click here)

Sundays and holy days of obligation:
am: 5.00 – 6.00 – 7.00 – 8.30 – 9.30 – 10.30 – 11.30
pm: 4.30 (W) / 5.00 (S)

Saturday:
S: 5.30pm: 7.15pm
W: 5.15pm: 6.30pm

Weekdays:
am: 5.00 – 5.45 – 6.30 – 7.00 – 7.45 – 8.30 – 9.30
pm: 4.30 – 6.30 (W) / 5.30 – 7.15 (S)

Brief History

Nadur, Gozo’s most populated village, is spread over the top of a plateau. It has a most appropriate name, derived from Maltese nadar, which means to observe at length and so to keep guard. Most of the island of Gozo and beyond can be observed from the village.

Nadur is rightly proud of its monumental church dedicated to the apostles Saints Peter and Paul. Its foundation stone was laid in December 1760, however the facade and aisles were built at the beginning of the twentieth century on a design by the renowned Maltese architect Francesco Saverio Sciortino.

The parish of Nadur was established by Bishop Davide Cocco-Palmeri on 28 April 1688. The church of the Immaculate Conception, Qala, then in the same territory, was the seat of the parish for some years. The present church was consecrated on 12 May 1867. It became Archipresbyteral on 19 December 1893. The third Collegiate of Gozo was established on 19 Sepember 1894. The church was bestowed the title of Basilica on 26 June 1967.

The paintings on the dome and on the ceiling, by the Maltese Lazzaro Pisani, depict episodes from the lives of Saints Peter and Paul. The church is covered entirely with marble and has also a pulpit sculpted in marble.

On the night of 28–29 June, feast of the village patron saints, people used to pass the night in the open in an area known as Il-Buskett barbecuing and eating rabbits and singing to accompaniment of guitars.

The parish church also owns the Gozo Maritime Museum that is just off the village square. It was donated to parish church by Michael Grima.