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Introduction | Name
Origin |
Motto and
Coat-of-Arms |
Places of Interest
Satellite Map and Population
Statistics |
The Parish
Clubs and Organizations |
Street
Names and Zones |
Other Related
Information
INTRODUCTION
The village of Ghajnsielem is situated in the small island
of Gozo, Malta's sister-island. Malta is situated in the
centre of the Mediterranean - 93 km south of Italy and 290
km north of North Africa. Gozo lies about 5 km in the North
West of Malta and the distance between Ċirkewwa in Malta and
Mgarr Harbour in Gozo, involves a 25 minute ferry crossing.
Ghajnsielem has a population of
around 3,000 and is the first Gozitan village that will
greet you as soon as you leave Mgarr Harbour towards the
Gozitan heartland. As soon as you enter Mgarr Harbour, while
still aboard the ferry, you could not help but notice the
welcoming landmarks of the harbour village of Ghajnsielem.
Lourdes Chapel with its sharp steeple and underlying niche
of Our Lady of Lourdes, Fort Chambray on the left-hand side
dominating the high grounds and, on the distant background,
the towering belfry of Ghajnsielem's Parish Church. The
people of Ghajnsielem are referred to as
il-Ghajnsilmizi.
NAME ORIGIN
The name of the village is a composite of 'Ghajn' (spring of)
and 'Is-sliem' (peace). This name probably
refers to a natural spring which used to supply water, and
subsequently modified and reconstructed by Grand Master
Raymond Perellos in 1700 when he built an arcade containing nine washing
basins bestowed its name to the village.
This sprint is connected with a
legend about Nardu, a man from Xewkija, who returned to Gozo
from slavery on the Barbary Coast. On his return he looked
for his wife and daughter, Ursula. The latter being the sole
survivor, he found her, by now a married woman, near this
spring. Since then, the spring started to be called Ghajn
is-Sliem, because Nardu found piece when he met his
daughter. Another version is 'Ghajn Salem', a corrupt
name for Selim, a Turkish naval commander, who
compelled his crew to disembark at Mgarr and replenish their
water supply from this spring every time he happened to be
sailing by the Maltese Islands.
The name is
first recorded as 'Hain Selem' in a notarial act drawn by
Joannes Domenico Formosa on 17th February 1587.
more information
THE VILLAGE MOTTO AND COAT-OF-ARMS
The Latin motto of Ghajnsielem is
Ob fontem prosperitas, that is
Flourishing because of a spring –
Nistaghna b’nixxiegha ilma. The springs in the area were
the magnet that attracted the first inhabitants that
eventually led to the prosperity of the place.
The coat-of-arms of Ghajnsielem are: barry wavy argent and
azure, upon a chief of the second an estoile of six points.
From a heraldic point of view (to the one used to 1993) that
of a stream of water running down some rocks on a sky-blue
field with a golden star in the middle of a dark blue chief.
PLACES OF INTEREST
A visit to Ghajnsielem should include Mgarr Harbour and
fishing village. Ideally next comes Our Lady of Lourdes
Chapel from where, especially at sunset, a beautiful view of
Mgarr Harbour could be enjoyed. The 18th Century Fort
Chambray, which was once unsuccessfully planned to be Gozo's
Valletta, is also worth noting especially its perimeter. Up
there you can discover views of Gozo's southern cliffs, Xatt
l-Aħmar Bay and those of the Northern Comino Channel. The
narrow winding road leading to peaceful bay of Xatt l-Ahmar
could be traced from there, or else you could endeavour
towards the village centre for a visit to the majestic
Lombard-Gothic sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto. In
the vicinity there is also the old parish church and the
mysterious "Pjazza tad-Dehra" (square of the apparition)
where it is believed that Our Lady has spoken to a local
shepherd Anglu Grech. The parish owes its origin to the
story of this apparition. A visit to the old Franciscan
convent and church of St. Anthony of Padua is also
worthwhile. Apart from the tranquillity of the area
surrounding the convent, one could not remain anything less
than charmed by the views upon the Gozo Channel particularly
early in the morning or late at sunset.
more information
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Population:
2570
(as per the 2005
Census Report)
Click
Here
to
view the 1957 - 2005
Ghajnsielem
Census Report |
|
Move your mouse on the
Gozo map to see the exact location!
Ghajnsielem Streets Map:
West Side
- East
Side |
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Mayor: Francis Cauchi |
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No.
of Families: 820 |
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Area:
4.304 km square |
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Satellite Image taken from Google Maps
Click on map to zoom in. Tick 'Show Labels' to view
street names. |
| Weather:
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THE
PARISH
The parish church is dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto.
The title of the present church was established by tradition conveyed
from generation to generation until put down in writing by the first
parish priest Fr. Anton Cauchi. This is found in a manuscript still
extant at the parish archive which recounts the origins of the devotion
towards our Lady of Loreto.
Anglu Grech, who lived in the vicinity, used to
take his sheep and goats to the spring every day. While the
flock quenched its thirst, he sought shade under a carob tree
(Harruba) and often knelt down in prayer. One day, he beheld a
vision just across the spring. A beautiful lady dressed immaculately
white invited him to raise a statue in her honour on a lip of land close
by. He understood. A shrine would enhance his prayers and encourage
fellow farmers to raise their minds to God. Anglu recounted his
experience to the few families which at the time lived in Ghajnsielem
and told them the mysterious lady's wish.The people immediately
collected money to commission a stone statue of Our Lady of Loreto and
built a nice to house it. After the statue was placed in niche, people
used to gather around it to recite the Rosary. A small nearby chapel was
built in 1810 and blessed in 1820. Altough Ghajnsielem was part of the
Nadur Parish, the inhabitants were finding it difficult to to go up to
the Nadur parish church to hear mass and carry out their spiritual
needs.
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Old Parish Church |
Sanctuary of Our
Lady of Loreto |
The first vicar
in charge was Dun Guzepp Xerri, who was succeeded by Dun
Frangisk Xkembri and in 1842 by Dun Anton Cauchi from Rabat.
He succeeded to convince Archbishop Publios Sant to erect a new
parish church. On 1st January 1854, the region became vice
parish and the procedure for the establishment of a parish was
set in motion. Ghajnsielem was officially established as
parish in the 26th of January 1855
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Archpriest:
Can. Frankie Bajada
Mobile: 7971 0784 / E-Mail:
dunfrankiebajada@yahoo.com
Presbyterium:
Archpriest
Emeritus. Mons. Joseph Zerafa
Fr. Joe Cardona
Fr. Joe Farrugia
Rev. Carmel Cassar
Rev. Tarsicio Attard
Parish Office:
Triq J. F. De Chambray, Għajnsielem GSM 102
Tel./Fax: 2155 3710 – 2156 1030 (Parish Centre)
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| Masses: |
Sundays:
Morning:
5:00; 6:30; 8:00; 10:00 a.m.
Afternoon: 16:00 (Winter); 16:30 (Summer)
Weekdays:
Morning
5:30; 6:30; 7:45; 8:30; 9:30
Afternoon: 18:30 (Winter); 19:00 (Summer)
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Processions: |
Quarant'Ore - 1st January
Our Lady of Sorrows
St Joseph - 1st Sunday of May
Blessed Sacrament - Corpus Christi
Blessed Sacrament - Sacred Heart of Jesus
St Anthony - 1st Sunday of June
Feast of Our Lady of Loreto - Last Sunday
of August more
Our Lady of the Rosary - 1st Sunday of October
St Julian - 2nd of November
St Andrew - 1st Sunday of December
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NGO's
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Clubs &
Organizations:
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Saint Joseph Band Club
Ghajnsielem Football Club
L-Ghaqda tal-Armar
Centru Marija Lauretana
GSM Youths
The Society of Christian Doctrine (aka Museum)
Saint Joseph Home
Lourdes Home
Augustinian Servants of Jesus
Legion of Mary
Dar Guzeppa Debono
Ghaqda Drammatika Ghajnsielem
The Wistin Camilleri Arts School
The Eden Foundation
Arka Respite Centre
Kumpless Residenzjali Anzjani MAS
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List of Streets and
Zones in
Ghajnsielem
Street Map:
West Side
- East
Side
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The Main Roads |
Pjazza Indipendenza (Indipendence
Square)
Pjazza Loreto (Loreto Square)
Triq Borġ Għarib (Borg Gharib Road)
Triq il-Fawwara
Triq il-Ġnien (Garden Street)
Triq il-Ħamri
Triq il-Qala (Qala Road)
Triq in-Nadur (Nadur Road)
Triq ix-Xatt (Strand Street)
Triq iż-Żewwieqa
Triq l-Imġarr (Mġarr Road)
Triq Sant' Antnin (St Anthony Road)
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Secondary Streets
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Daħla Ta'
Briegħem (Ta' Brieghem Street)
Daħla Ta' Steliju (Ta' Steliju Street)
Pjazza Tad-Dehra (Visit Square)
Pjazzetta l-10 ta' Diċembru (10th December Square)
Sqaq Ħamri Nru.1 - Nru.5 (Hamri Alley No.1 to No.5)
Sqaq il-Balliju (Balliju Alley)
Sqaq l-Imġarr Nru.1 - Nru.3 (Mgarr Alley No.1 to No.3)
Trejqa Ħamri (Hamri Path)
Triq Anġlu Grech (Angel Grech Street)
Triq Benghazi (Benghazi Street)
Triq Ċens l-Għarus (Cens l-Gharus Road)
Triq Chambrai (Chambrai Road)
Triq Dun Franġisk Mizzi (Fr. Frances Mizzi Street)
Triq Dun Ġużepp Galea Rapa (Joseph Gala Rapa Street)
Triq Fuq il-Għajn (Fuq il-Ghajn Road)
Triq Ġużeppi Calì (Joseph Cali Street)
Triq Ġużeppi Cauchi (Joseph Cauchi Street)
Triq Girgor (Gregory Street)
Triq Għajnsielem (Ghajnsielem Road)
Triq iċ-Ċief (Cief Street)
Triq il-Baħħara (Sailors Street)
Triq il-Barumbara (Barumbara Street)
Triq il-Gawwi (Seagulls Street)
Triq il-Gleneagles (Gleneagles Street)
Triq il-Gudja (Gudja Road)
Triq il-Merkanti (Merchants Street)
Triq il-Mogħdija (Passage Street)
Triq is-26 ta' Jannar, 1855 (26th January, 1855 Street)
Triq ix-Xatt l-Aħmar (Xatt l-Ahmar Road)
Triq Kemmuna (Comino Street)
Triq Kemmunett (Cominetto Street)
Triq l-Imrejżbiet (Mrejzbiet Street)
Triq l-Ixprunara (Xprunara Street)
Triq Malta (Malta Street)
Triq Patri Franġisk Cauchi (Bro. Frances Cauchi Street)
Triq Patri Odorik Grima (Bro. Odorik Grima Street)
Triq Qigħan (Qighan Street)
Triq Raymond Caruana (Raymond Caruana Street)
Triq Ramon Perellos (Ramon Perellos Street)
Triq Sant' Indrija (St. Andrew Street)
Triq Santu Liju (St. Liu Street)
Triq Simirat (Simirat Street)
Triq Ta' Cordina (Ta' Cordina Road)
Triq Tal-Latini (Tal-Latini Boats Street)
Triq Wied ir-Rajjes (Rajjes Valley Road)
Triq Wied Martin (Martin Valley Road)
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Mġarr Road Area
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Triq
Gareces Martino (Garces Martino Street)
Triq ir-Rebħa (Victory Street)
Triq Lourdes (Lourdes Street)
Triq Manoel De Vilhena (Manoel De Vilhena Street)
Xatt ta' l-Imġarr (Mgarr Strand)
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The Zones
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Borġ l-Għarib
Fort Chambray
Ġnien Miġiaro
Iċ-Ċens
Il-Gudja
Mġarr Port
Mġarr Valley
Mrejżbiet
Rdum it-Tafal
Ta' Briegħen
Ta' Cordina
Ta' Kusbejja
Taħt il-Belt
Tal-Palma
Xatt l-Aħmar
Żewwieqa
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Additional
General Information
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Biography:
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Meet the people who have
'left their mark' in Ghajnsielem as they formed the unique history and
character of this village. Each of these personalities has done
something special and inspiring for our village. These are the people
who chose Ghajnsielem as the center of their life.
Click here to open the Biography Section |
|
Books: |
Ghajnsielem: The gateway to Gozo (please
contact the Ghajnsielem Local Council for more information
about this book) |
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