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Churches of Malta - Zejtun Parish Church
 One of the main parishes of the Maltese Islands is that of Zejtun, which is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. The parish was already established in 1436, although the year when it was formally established has been lost through the lack of documents. It is also one of those old villages which although its present parish church is considered as one of the jewels of Maltese architecture, the old structure still stands, and it is also considered as one of the most important early 16th century structures that have survived. The old parish church of Zejtun is to be found on the outskirts of the village. In fact, this was one of the reasons why the parishioners decided to build a newer church and further to the centre of their village. This decision had at least managed to allow the old structure to remain standing, and thus be preserved for latter ancestors. This old structure is interesting as its architectural style is not to be seen anywhere in Malta. It has also amongst the first domes, quite small in comparison with the proper domes, but important for the study of architectural development in Malta. The same building was placed in such a way as to be used as a lookout by the males of the village. From its rooftop, one can easily keep an eye on the bays of the area, and thus be able to advice not only his colleagues working in the fields, but also the people of Mdina, by lighting a fire on the site. In the 17th century, the people had already decided that they needed a bigger parish church, and also it needed to be build closer to the village centre. This wish was granted partially tot hem by one of the residents of the village, namely the noble Bonici, who donated the property and also some money to give a start to the building of the church. The Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafa` was commissioned to start building this church, which meant that the best local architect was roped in to provide the villagers with a splendid church. In fact, the church building has been considered as one of the most impressive churches in Malta since its building was completed. Due to the space that there is around the whole church, it is possible to admire the magnificence of the building, and to understand why it has been praised. Inside the church itself there are quite a number of artistic treasures. Some of the older pieces have been transferred to the museum, which adjoins the church itself. The present church boasts of canvases by local 18th century artists, which are considered as amongst the best that the artists ever executed. The side altars are also richly decorated with their marble work, canvases and other decorations. Two artists that have left their mark on this church are Gian Nicola Buhagiar and Francesco Zahra. These two vied with each other that were going to make the best painting, and thus the church ended the richer because of this artistic rivalry. As is usual in all Maltese parish churches there is also the main processional statue. This is showing St. Catherine of Alexandria, and it is carried shoulder high around the streets of the village on its feast day. One recommends that a visit to this church is given ample time to view all the riches that there are to be seen.
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