The Parish

 

As stated above, St Dominic’s became parish by means of a Papal Bull issued on the 2nd July 1571.   The Pope at that time was the Dominican, Pius V.  In this bull Ex Debito Pastorali, the Pope constituted St Dominic’s as the Mother and principal parish of the entire city and its inhabitants.   Naturally, not everybody was pleased that this privilege had been accorded to the Dominicans, especially other church institutions who claimed parochial rights over the new dwellers of the city.  Controversy ensued, and the issue was to be settled definitely only in 1723 when Rome defined the new limits of the Parish.

 

Obviously all this is now history!   It may be interesting to note, however, that, more recently, the territory of the Parish has been further decreased due to the erection of a third parish in Valletta, that of St Augustine, in 1968.    Though St Dominic’s remains the largest parish in the City, latest records reveal that the number of parishioners stands at under 3000.