Architecture stamp issue features Għajnsielem parish church

MaltaPost has issued a new philatelic set for the Small European Postal Administrations Cooperation (SEPAC) 2025 having ‘architecture’ as its theme. The set features three stamps depicting notable buildings in Malta and Gozo: the church of St Catherine of Italy in Valletta, the ex-seminary building in Mdina and the parish church of Għajnsielem. The Għajnsielem parish church photo was taken by Mariah Grech.

The parish church in this locality, dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto, became too small for the growing population and a project began in the 1920s to construct a totally new church nearby. The impressive neo-gothic structure took three generations to be ready, its dedication occurring in 1989. Architects involved included Ugo Mallia, Ġużè D’Amato, Joseph Mizzi and Joe Ellul Vincenti; the master mason was Toni Vella.

Each issuing country (among the small states of Europe) nominates one of its stamps in the annual “popularity” contest in which people – stamp collectors or not and not necessarily limited to Europe – are invited to vote for their favourite design. MaltaPost has opted for this particular one. In the years since 1991, the village has, in fact, been included in numerous stamp sets.

For this occasion, the Gozo Philatelic Society has as customary produced a commemorative cover by the society’s president, Anthony Grech. It shows an internal view of this outstanding church.