The Statue Of Saint John

On November 27, 1678, Xewkija became the first parish to be established outside Rabat, the town of Gozo. It was dedicated to the patron saint of the Knights who since 1530 ruled the Maltese archipelago. In 1839, when the statue of Saint George was carried through Xewkija on its way to Rabat, the people immediately decided to order the statue of the Baptist. The parish priest, Dun Nikol Vella, soon collected the necessary sum. The sculptor Pietro Paolo Azzopardi ( 1791 - 1875) carved the statue out of a mulberry trunk. It was given a triumphant welcome when it was carried shoulder-high into Xewkija on June 22, 1845. Two days later, it was carried round the village streets amidst the joy of the parishioners.

About Saint John
Saint John, with a garment made of camel-hair and a leather thong round his waist (Matthew 3, 4), is portrayed on the occasion of his meeting with Christ (John I , 29). With his raised right hand and the indicative expression on his face, John is designating Jesus as the Lamb of God. Words to this effect appear in Latin on the pennant swaying gently from his staff and are reaffirmed by the lamb resring behind his right foot. Saint John stands on a base of roughlv-hewn rock, indicating in this case the wilderness where the meeting took place.

Restoration
In early June 1943, almost hundred years after its arrival in Gozo, the statue was restored by Giuseppe Briffa. In 1961, the old halo was replaced by one of gold.

Feast
Until 1946 the feast was celebrated on June 24, till then a holy day of obligation; since then it has been held on the Sunday immediately before or after this date.

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