Rabat - Grotto and Parish Church of St Paul

Tradition has stated that during his enforced three-month stay in Malta, and while a prisoner of the island's Roman governor, Publius, St Paul eschewed the comfortable surroundings offered to him and chose this subterranean grotto instead. This seems unlikely, although it is possible that he preached from here.

The statue of St Paul was donated by Grand Master Pinto in 1748 and the silver galley hanging from the ceiling was the gift of the Knights of St John in 1960 to mark the 1,900-year anniversary of St Paul's shipwreck. The eight coat of arms are of each of the langues.

Pope John Paul prayed in the grotto while on his visit in May 1990.