Arrive by bus at Floriana and the church is hard to miss. St Publius rises above the square with a wide colonnade, arches and two bell towers, large enough to make newcomers pause on the pavement.
The saint
The dedication is to a figure from the earliest days of Christianity in Malta. According to Catholic tradition, Publius held the post of Roman governor of the island. When a storm wrecked the ship carrying Saint Paul to Rome, the Apostle took refuge on Malta. Paul healed Publius’ father, and the governor became a Christian. He then ran the Church in Malta for about thirty years.
Around the year 125 he was martyred during the persecution of Christians by Roman authorities. Later he became a patron saint of Malta, and he is the patron of Floriana. For anyone interested in the island’s religious story, the church is a good place to meet him.
A long building project
Work began in 1733, to a plan by Francesco Marandon, an engineer of the Order of the Knights Hospitaller. It took 35 years to complete, and then the relic of St Publius was placed inside. As the parish grew, the church was rebuilt, changing the façade and gaining a dome at the end of the 18th century.
In the second half of the 19th century the building was extended with two bell towers, naves and an oratory, and it received a new façade designed by Nicola Zammit. The result is the neoclassical church seen now, with its colonnade, arches and decorative detail.
The war and the rebuild
Floriana was close to the harbours and suffered from bombing in the Second World War. The façade and the dome were damaged, and the church had to be rebuilt once more. The architect Gustav Vincenti supervised the restoration. By the end of the 1950s the exterior was restored, while work on the interior went on until the end of the 1990s. The long timeline tells you how much effort a parish had to put into repair after the war.
Inside
Colour is the surprise. The interior uses purple, cream, gold and turquoise in carefully chosen combinations, with plenty of carving, gilding and marble. The effect is warm and a little theatrical.
The church kept its 18th-century altarpiece by Antoine de Favray, a French painter who worked in Malta, and other fine paintings by Maltese artists. A titular statue of St Publius and a large statue of Mary stand inside, while the façade is topped by a statue of Jesus Christ. Look up as well as ahead, since much of the interest is in the ceiling and upper walls.
The square and the surroundings
The church faces a broad open space, and that is a good clue to Floriana as a whole. The suburb was laid out outside Valletta’s walls with defence in mind, and it still has room that the capital lacks: wide streets, long lines of bastion, and gardens. Standing in front of the church, you can see how the colonnade and towers were designed to be read from a distance.
Locals use the square as a meeting place, and on a feast day it fills with bands, stalls and families. Outside those days, it is calm. A short pause on a bench gives time to watch the pace of Floriana life, which is slower than in the capital next door.
Making a morning of Floriana
Floriana rewards a wander. Sarria Church is a short walk away and offers a different style: small, round and Baroque. Argotti Botanic Gardens gives green space and views, and the Wignacourt Aqueduct and its towers show how Valletta got its water. The wide avenues and bastions give the town a formal feel, with plenty of space to stroll.
Practical points
As a parish church, St Publius follows the rhythm of Mass and feast days. Doors may be shut outside services, and the building may be crowded at festa time. Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered.
Morning is the best time for the exterior photograph, as the sun lights the front. In midsummer, the square is exposed and hot by midday, so combine the visit with shaded gardens nearby. Wear comfortable shoes for the walk into Valletta.
End the visit by walking through City Gate to the capital, where the main streets start within minutes.
