My childhood church

The inside of the Ascension church at St Julian's in December 2010

Most countries celebrate the feast of the Ascension today, and this brings me back to my childhood church, dedicated to the feast of the Ascension. It's the church where my parents were married, where we were all baptized, received our Sacraments, where I served hundreds of Masses, and where I spent most of my free time as a child. It is affectionately called the Lapsi church, Lapsi meaning Ascension.

The main altar decorated for the feast of St Julian in August 2006

The church was built and re-built a few times over the years, the first time being in 1580, probably a small tiny country church. It was built again in 1716, again in 1729, and enlarged to its present state in 1854 when it was still a sub-parish of Birkirkara, a larger town 3 miles away. It was elevated to the rank of parish in 1891, and was restored to its magnificent past over the past 20 years, thanks to a grant from the Government and the will-power and drive of parish enthusiasts.