Today, Siggiewi is one of the largest towns in Malta but it wasn't always as big as it is today. In fact it used to be four separate villages, that eventually morphed into one.

One such village was found in the area where Siggiewi meets Qrendi, and which was once known as the village of Ħal Xluq, a village which, despite no longer existing, has a church that still stands today. 

This centuries-old church is dedicated to St Mary.

It was one of many churches that were located what is now known as Siggiewi. A report made by the Monseigneur Pietru Dusina in 1575 revealed that there was an impressive total of 46 churches in the four villages that made up Siggiewi, six of which were in Ħal Xluq.

Not much remains from Ħal Xluq today but this church still stands there to this day and celebrates the St Mary feast every year on the 15^th August.

Nobody has an exact date of when the church was built, but it is for certain that it dates back to the medieval times in Malta.

This is evidenced by the round frame of the church’s door as well the flat ceiling that rests on pointed arches.

The chapel has three paintings, a titular one, another depicting Christ in front of Pilatus and one showing Christ carrying the cross.  

Have you ever visited?