The venerable chapel of Sant'Anton at Xagħra, Gozo

Abstract

This small chapel of Sant' Anton is among the oldest in Gozo. No one knows exactly when it was built, but we know that it was already there in the year 1400. It was built by a famous Gozitan family, Camire and Hinzi, who also left a foundation with a benefice so that on its feast of Sant' Anton Abbot bread and a kwaria measure of wine will be distributed to the people. This custom has been discontinued. The present chapel was built in the year 1601 to replace an older building, and it also has a cemetery. Abela-Ciantar relates how on the 28th April, 1687, the people in the neighbourhood of Ramla and Xagnra went to Bishop F. David Palmeri. They asked him to give their church of Sant' Anton the status of a parish, because of the great distance they had to go to the Matrix church in the Citadel at Rabat. On the 14th May of that year the bishop decided to grant them their request. The official ceremony took place on the 28th April, 1688, when Bishop Palmeri also granted a benefice to the chaplain from the Church of St George at Rabat, now basilica-collegiate. Grand Master Carafa too donated a piece of land to the new parish on the same condition as those of the new parish of Sannat. [excerpt]