San Dimitri Chapel

Limits of Għarb, Gozo, Malta.

By Mario & Melissa Saliba

April 24^th, 2023

The St Dimitri Chapel is a unique and historically rich chapel, located on the island of Gozo in Malta.

This rural Roman Catholic church is the only church in Malta dedicated to the Greek saint, St Demetrius. Originally built by Reverend Franġisk Depena in the 15th century, the chapel was mentioned in inquisitor Pietro Dusina's 1575 report of his visit to the chapel. Unfortunately, due to its dilapidated state, the church was deconsecrated during the pastoral visit of Bishop Balaguer in May 1657.

However, in 1736 the chapel was rebuilt thanks to the initiative of Reverend Mario Vella. It was blessed on April 11, 1809, by the Archpriest of Għarb, the Reverend Publio Refalo, who represented the Bishop of Malta Ferdinando Mattei.

During the start of World War II, a mass in the Byzantine rite was celebrated in the chapel by the parish priest of the Greek community of Malta, Papas Schirò, at the initiative of the rector Reverend Paul Formosa.

The chapel has undergone a full restoration in 2012 and was inaugurated on February 3, 2013. A feast in honor of St Demetrius is celebrated every year on the Sundays closest to October 8.

As you step inside the chapel, you'll be greeted with a stunning painting depicting St Demetrius dressed as a soldier on a horse. The painting also features an old woman pleading with him on one side, while a young man in chains is depicted on the other side. This painting represents a local legend that has been passed down for generations.

The legend goes that an old woman named Natalizia Cauchi, nicknamed Żgugina, had one son named Mattew. One day, corsairs attacked her home in Għarb and took her only son as a slave with them. She went to pray to St Demetrius in the chapel and promised to light an oil lamp every day in the chapel if he brought back her son.

At that very moment, St Demetrius went out of the painting riding his horse. He went onto the pirate ship and took Mattew with him back to his mother. After this, Demetrius re-entered his portrait, but legend has it that his horse left an imprint on the walls of the chapel. This legend explains the reason for the depictions in the painting of St Demetrius described above.

Another legend, which complements the previous one, states that the chapel was built near the cliffs and one day a big earthquake hit the island, causing the chapel to topple into the sea without breaking. However, the chapel itself did not break. The legend says that fishermen have seen Żguigina's oil lamp still burning on the bottom of the sea floor.