English: The island nation of Malta is only about 17 miles long and 9 miles wide, but it boasts over 350 churches. The quiet Church of St. Paul’s Shipwreck is neither the largest nor the most ornate, but its namesake hearkens to one of the most dramatic tales in the early Christian church, commemorating the shipwreck of St. Paul in 60 A.D.

According to Acts chapters 27-28, Paul was being taken to Rome to be tried as a political rebel. However, the ship carrying him and some 274 others was caught in a violent storm, and it ran aground near the north coast of Malta. All aboard swam safely to land. The welcome given to Paul, his traveling companion and attending physician Luke, and the other survivors is described in the words of St. Luke recorded in Acts 28:1-2: “… later we learned that the island was called Malta. And the people who lived there showed us great kindness, and they made a fire and called us all to warm ourselves …”

The actual site of St. Paul’s shipwreck in Malta is unknown, but St. Paul’s Island in St. Paul’s Bay marks the historic event with a statue dedicated to St. Paul. The Church of St. Paul’s Shipwreck is one of the oldest Roman Catholic parish churches in Malta and is dedicated to St. Paul’s brief encounter in Malta. Situated in the capital city of Valletta, the church traces its origins to the 1570’s. It was designed by Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar and completed in 1582. Today the church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.