From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Qormi (pronounced Qor’mee), also known as Hal Qormi or Citta Pinto, is a city in Malta with a population of 16,576 (Nov 2005). The town is located southwest of Valletta in the centre of Malta (35 52 N 14 30 E). The town enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry, sunny summers and short, cool winters.

The neighbouring towns of Qormi are Marsa, Luqa and Zebbug. Qormi sits just off a main road between Mdina and Valletta.

The patron saints of Qormi are St. George and St. Sebastian. For two weeks in summer, the town celebrates its two patron saints. The town is also known for its Good Friday procession with over 500 people participating each year.

The area was settled as early as the Bronze Age. A number of tombs discovered in the past century indicates that the Phoenicians traded with the population. In the fifteenth century, Qormi was established as one of the first parishes in Malta and had the largest parish church in Malta at that stage.

The population of Qormi grew in the 18th century and Emanuel Pinto de Fonseca, Grand Master of the Knights of St. John declared it to be a city on the 25th of May 1743. Like much of the central part of Malta, Qormi is now densely populated.

It was known as Casal Fornaro, which means Baker’s Village, back in the old days, due to the number of bakers that existed. The town provided bread to most of Malta. The name it has for production of bread has stayed as established bakeries do their utmost to keep up with the name.

Qormi Today

Qormi is run by a local council established in 1993 under the Local Councils Act.

Qormi also houses a community (parish) radio station Bastjanizi FM. It is also home of the Qormi Basketball Club, being one of the established teams in Maltese Basketball, Qormi Hockey Club, and a football club Qormi FC. It also has the first Maltese locality channel on mIRC, #Qormi. It houses a number of bakeries.

The village’s population grew over the years and earlier this century the eastern part of the village was proclaimed as a new parish.  A new church was built and dedicated to St. Sebastian.  Imposing on the surrounding landscape, the church’s interior has remarkable pieces of sculpture in local limestone.

The life in the village is punctuated by a number of events.  In Holy Week, one of the largest Good Friday processions occurs at Hal-Qormi, an event which attracts a large number of Maltese people and tourists. Each year, the St. Sebastian Pageant Group presents also a pageant on the vestibule of St. Sebastian Church, with representations from the life of Jesus Christ, which also has become a local attraction.

In the summer months the Maltese celebrate a number of traditional festas. Hal-Qormi also makes its contribution.  For two weeks the village’s life rotates around celebrations dedicated to the two patron saints. Street and church decorations, fireworks and  brass band marches make this occasion an unforgettable event!

 

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