1. When the noble couple decided to build a church, they were uncertain whether to dedicate it to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or to St Anthony, or to Our Lady of Victories, the patron saint of the marchioness.
2.
One of the documents referring to the beginning of the
church relates how the noble couple were induced, by what they termed
providential signs, to dedicate the temple to Jesus of Nazareth in 1893.
Among these signs we note that, when the site of the foundation stone was being
cleared, a copper medal bearing the effigy of Jesus of Nazareth was found
having an inscription on its rim reading: ‘Jesus of Nazareth who moved his
eyes in Rome in the year 1854’.
3. On 3
September 1896, Pope Leo XIII sent a very nice letter to the Marquis Carlo
Zimmermann and, among other things, stated that he was pleased with the
Marquis’ intentions to have a temple built on the occasion of the episcopal
jubilee of His Holiness. Now that the works had been completed, and the
new church dedicated to the Nazarene, the Pope reasserted his satisfaction for
the Marquis’ reaffirmation of respects to His Holiness, and his readiness to be
of service to the faith.
4. Acts of Notary Public Paul Vassallo, 20 April 1909.
5. A manuscript of 27 December 1893 drawn by Notary Peter Mifsud.
6. An authenticated copy of the decree can be found in the Acts of Notary Francis Caruana Dingli dated 26 February 1900.
7. A document of the Dominican Provincial Fr Antoninus Gatt written in the last months of 1908.
8. A manuscript of 2 July 1895 drawn by Notary Vassallo.
9. A document sent from the Lateran Basilica in the nineteenth year of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIII dated 5 July 1896.
10. Another document issued by the Vatican Basilica in the twenty-third year of the Pontificate of Leo XIII dated 12 December 1900 mentions the benefits and indulgences proper to the Basilica, and conferred on our church in Sliema. There is also a complete list of feast days when the faithful can enjoy the spiritual benefits.
11. A document of 13 April 1902 found in the Acts of Notary Caruana Dingli. This freehold property is listed and detailed in a statement of archtect Gio Andrea Trevisan dated 20 May 1902.
12. It took at least nine months for the Maltese Dominican Province to accept the offer of the Marquis with its obligations and benefits. The Provincial and his Council were bound to observe specific formalities as laid down by our Constitutions and by the laws of the Church. On 27 July 1908, the Provincial Fr Antoninus Gatt O.P. summoned his Council at the Valletta Priory, and informed his colleagues that Count Salvino Sant Manduca conveyed the wish of the Noble Marquis Carlo Zimmermann Barbaro who offered the Basilica of Jesus of Nazareth in Sliema to the Dominican Province. The spiritual obligations tied to the offer are mentioned together with the list of property in the streets Marina and Tigne’, and St Anthony with their respective rents being quoted. Fr Gatt goes on to say that the Marquis asked for a gift of one thousand pounds sterling. If the Council disagreed with this latter part while accepting to fulfil the spiritual obligations, the rented income would only be availed of after his death. The Council agreed to accept the offer but refused to donate the gift. The members also rejected an annual offer of thirty pounds sterling for an annual Mass to be said, yet bound themselves to carry out the legacies and spiritual duties, including the yearly Mass, which would then be said ‘gratis’. Besides the Provincial Fr Gatt, the Council members were Fr Angelo Portelli, who was later to nominated Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese, Fr L. Caruana, Fr John Falzon, and Fr Alphonse Azzopardi. On 19 August 1908, Fr Provincial again summoned his Council to inform them that the Marquis invited the Dominicans to commence giving their services in the church of Jesus of Nazareth as soon as a verbal agreement was reached, and even before the signing of the formal contracts. The Marquis was also ready to hand over all legal documents proper to the church so that the religious brethren could examine them carefully before signing the final contract. Meanwhile, the fathers would be remunerated for their services. The Council replied it could not give answer before getting to know what the Master General of the Order thought of the whole matter. Fr Provincial promised to write to the Master; he also requested the relevant church documents from the Marquis. For the third time, Fr Antoninus Gatt called his Council, which now included also Fr Giles Nastasi and the Prior Superior of Rabat Fr Hyacinth Grech, of Birgu Fr Bernard Grech, and of Valletta Fr Rosarius Spiteri. After having read all documents, with special attention to the Will and Act of Donation, a number of difficulties cropped up. The burdens and obligations that the Marquis Zimmermann mentioned with the proposed donation of the church were the same ones listed in the Will of the Noble Lady Victoria. The same could be said of the property attached to the church. Moreover, all this was already legally confirmed by a public act, and formally accepted by the diocesan Church Authorities; thus none of these conditions could be altered. The Council decided not to accept anything unless this was granted as expressed in the Will of the Marchioness. Fr Alphonse Azzopardi and Fr Hyacinth Grech were singled out to seek legal advice on the whole matter. The fourth meeting of the Provincial Council was held on 7 January 1909 in Valletta. After having heard what Frs Azzopardi and Grech found out from the legal counsellor, and after having read the Master General’s letter asking for more clarifications, including also the Bishop’s opinion, Fr Provincial asked his advisors whether it was wise to accept the church of Jesus of Nazareth as proposed in the Marquis’ Act of Donation if the Master General finally gave a positive reply to the matter in question. The Council answered that it would agree to the donation if this was the case with the Master of the Order. On 6 March 1909, the Congregation of Religious in Rome approved the request of the General of the Order Fr Hyacinth M. Cormier O.P., and so the Dominicans could accept the donation of the church in Sliema. A document dated 8 March of that same year bears witness to such an approval, and therefore, after a number of meetings and discussions, the church of Jesus of Nazareth could pass on to the Maltese Dominican Province.
13. The titular feast of Jesus of Nazareth was celebrated for the first time on Sunday 16 January 1910. Fr Provincial Antoninus Gatt said High Mass; the deacon was Fr Alvaro Farrugia with Fr Louis Gatt being sub-deacon; Fr Albert Grech was Master of Ceremonies; Robert Pace, Salvino Agius, Louis Vassallo, and Edgar Mifsud were altar-boys; Bro Vincent Brincat was the cross-bearer. The sermon was delivered by Fr Angelo Portelli. The Marquis, complying with his late wife’s wishes to have the spiritual legacies fulfilled, guaranteed and assured an annual income from other immovable property in case of need. The property in question was to be found in the Valletta houses numbers 115 to 117 in Archbishop Street, and in numbers 240 to 242 in Kinsway.
14. The contract also indicates a list of immovables from which the annual sum of 30 pounds sterling was to be reserved for a Mass to be said according to the Marquis’ intention. This property was known as that of "Tal-Midinbin" in Gozo; that on the plains of S. Lucia and of "Ta’ Kela", in Santi Square, and in the valley of "Gerzuma"; the house at number 6 Main Street, Mqabba; the houses known as "Ta’ Xihajma" at Nadur, Gozo, and at "Ta’ Xieref" at Tarxien. The Marquis stated that his wife’s grandmother, Mary Borg Mallia, had laid down in her Will of 10 September 1884, drawn by Notary Joseph Parodi, to have a daily Mass said by her son Don Peter Paul Borg, Lady Victoria’s uncle. The Marquis was now founding this legacy. The same Reverend Borg, in his Will drawn by Notary Peter Mifsud on 18 October 1887, mentions this daily offering to be said for a stipend of one shilling and six pence. He goes on to declare that the practice is to go on, and that he was adding another two pence for expenses of altar wine and candles, and for the altar boy who was to serve Mass.
15. On Thursday 4 July 1912, the "Malta Herald" published the news that the church of Jesus of Nazareth was to be enlarged as it became too small to accommodate the neighbouring people. It added that the works would be started as soon as enough funds were raised. On Saturday 13 July 1912, another newspaper "Malta e sue Dipendenze" carried a similar item, and listed a number of contributors to the building fund.
16. On 22 January 1914, Fr Hyacinth Grech Ellul O.P. wrote to the civil authorities for permission to acquire some land at Sliema to be used for the enlargement of the church.
17. Including Fr Provincial Gatt, the Council members were: Frs Alphonse Azzopardi, Gundisalvus Camilleri and Giles Nastasi, Prior and sub-Prior respectively of Rabat, Bernard Grech, Prior of Birgu, Roarius Spiteri, Prior at Valletta, and Hyacinth Grech Ellul, Vicar Superior at Sliema. Two other Council meetings were held on Friday 10 October, and Thursday 6 November 1913 to discuss the building of the church and convent at Sliema.
18. On 5 August 1921, Fr Hyacinth Grech Ellul informed the Government Official Secretary that the Dominicans at Sliema intended to build a new church near the existing one which was too small to cope with the needs of the faithful. Fr Hyacinth went to say that the foundation stone was to be laid on Monday 15 August and, as the land was in the so-called "Military Clearance Area", he was requesting the necessary permission for the building to be commenced. The architectural plan of the new church was approved by the Governor by letter of 1 September 1921. In the meantime, the foundation stone had been laid.
19. Due to the slow process of works, the building permit had to be renewed as the original one laid down that, if the works were not completed in two years time, permission had to be sought once more. The letter of renewal carries the date of 26 September 1923.
20. At the time, 60 pounds sterling were charged for a main pillar while a smaller one cost 25 pounds; the price of a ceiling stone was five pounds while other common stones varied from three to twenty shillings each.
21. Order no 1 of the "Building Control Board" was published on page 4 of the "Malta Chronicle & Services Gazette" of Saturday 16 September 1939. It is being reproduced in full: (1)(a) On and after 15 September 1939, no buildings shall be commenced in any part of Malta and its Dependencies without a licence from the Board, provided that such licence does not dispense with the necessity of obtaining the permission of any other Department or Authority required by any law in force. (b) The Board may at their absolute discretion refuse the grant of a licence. (2) Owners of buildings in course of construction or of buildings which are being structurally altered and Engineers in charge of the works, shall, within seven days from the date on which this Order comes into force, notify the Secretary of the Building Control Board of such construction or structural alterations, and shall make a return of the qualities of all building materials (including stone) which are in their possession or under the control of any person on their account. The return shall show the number of persons employed in such building operations and their respective trades. (3) The Board may in their discretion suspend or delay any construction in progress and restrict the number of workmen which may be employed in the construction. (4) Owners of buildings and Engineers and persons in charge of the construction of any building shall comply with all written instructions of the Board with regard to the quality and quantity of materials which may be used in the construction of the building. (5) This Order shall not apply to any building being erected by or to the order of the Government of Malta or any of the imperial services nor to buildings in progress on the date of this Order, the total cost whereof does not exceed 200 pounds.
22. The war damage expenses were great. On 20 December 1945, Fr Guy Farrugia O.P. wrote to the Diocesan Bishop informing himof the war damages inflicted on church objects of art as instructed by the directive of 29 October of that same year. Fr Guy mentioned the total loss of the following articles: the titular painting of Jesus of Nazareth, the work of Professor Palombi, framed in solid silver; two paintings of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and of St Joseph, both in gilded frames; another painting of St Dominic by Joseph Cali’, also in a gilded frame; an antique 16th century canvas depicting St Mary Magdalen; the statue of St Paul of Professor Moschetti which was in one of the aisle niches. St Like’s statue, of the same sculptor, on the main facade of the church, was only slightly damaged. Together with the letter, we note a financial estimate of the needed repairs in the church drawn up by Mr Joseph D’Amato for the attention of the Government architect Terreni.