Malta is known to have a lot of chapels and churches dispersed around the islands, with one for nearly every day of the year. But this little church in the quaint southern village of Qrendi is simply gorgeous.

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Local Facebook page Maltascapes featured some amazing shots of this little chapel and we were in awe. The church of St Matthew has been around since 1674 while the chapel has been here since the 14th century, but possibly dates back to the 11th.

The church was a victim of World War II bombings by the Nazis, having been located near the military airfield, which resulted in the church garnering extensive damages that almost collapsed the entire building.

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The little chapel also has an interesting story, having been mentioned in a local legend. There are different variations to this story, but legend has it that the people of the village were living in sin, and it was consumed by the earth as a consequence, forming a large pit in its place. Today, that pit is known as il-Maqluba (but it was most probably formed by a violent storm recorded on 14th November 1343).

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The church is quite a simplistic one, donning a small altar, a small statue of St Matthew, a fresco-decorated apse, and pointed archways. The central belfry was severely damaged during the air raids, and upon restoration, two smaller ones were installed instead.

The church also boasts an incredible painting attributed to the legend Mattia Preti, which depicts the martyrdom of St Matthew. The painting is found behind the altar and is dated 1688. And it seems like everything related to this church has had an adventure because this painting was actually stolen in 1984! Thankfully, it was recovered and housed for a while in the cathedral museum.

Maltascapes / Facebook

Isn’t she a beaut?

Maltascapes / Facebook