Kerċem

Template:Towns (Malta) Kerċem (English: Kerchem) is a village on Gozo Island, Malta, with a population of 1,654 people (Nov 2005).

The village of Kerċem lies close by to the south-east of Victoria, spread between the picturesque Lunzjata Valley, the green hills of Tal-Mixta, Għar Ilma and Ta' Dbieġi, and stretching up to the Pond of Għadira ta' San Rafflu and Xlendi cliffs. These sites are indicative that this village has the most beautiful landscapes in the Island of Gozo, rendering them an artist's pleasuredome. The area is one of Gozo's best for country walks and cycling and could connect to the village of San Lawrenz or directly to Dwejra Bay.

Archaeological discoveries show that the sizeable area of Kerċem was inhabited as early as the Għar Dalam phase (5000-4500 BC). The Roman Baths and an early Christian cemetery at Għar Gerduf, referred to by Gozitan historian De Soldanis as Roman Catacombs, are also significant discoveries. However to date, these historic sites have not been adequately exploited and are unfortunately not accessible to the public.

Kerċem evolved into a village community in the late Middle Ages, around an ancient chapel dedicated to Pope Gregory the Great built around 1581. The site gained historical importance due to the annual traditional St. Gregory procession from the Matrix church in Rabat (Victoria) to this medieval chapel, upon the saint's feast, namely on the 12th of March. The chapel was however replaced by the present parish church in 1851 which in turn was enlarged later on to its present state between 1906-1910. Kercem became a distinct parish on 10 March 1885 by Bishop Pietru Pace. The Kercem parish church is the only Gozitan church, which is jointly dedicated to two saints. As referred earlier, it was traditionally dedicated to Pope St. Gregory, but since 17 August 1885, the church was additionally co-dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. As a matter of fact, although the village celebrates the two feasts without distinction, the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help could now be considered in terms of popularity as the main religious celebration of the village. It is celebrated yearly on the second Sunday of July.

The village of Kerċem has a population of around 1700 people, but although this does not make it one of the largest in Gozo, its population is renowned as highly energetic, successfully venturing in all types of cultural activities making them popular all around Gozo. Such example is the annual Għadira Fair, which is a popular traditional family fair in the beautiful countryside area of San Rafflu. Both young and old take their chances to win a variety of prizes ranging from home goods to traditional prizes like goats, sheep, rabbits and poultry. Traditional music, food, drinks, pony rides and other amusements also entertain people especially children.

The peaceful hamlet of Santa Luċija, Gozo, although in itself incorporated within Kerċem, is quite distinct with its rustic church square empathising a calm picturesque charm unequalled throughout the whole island. Santa Luċija is slightly inhabited by country folk with a few old houses disorderly built around an old chapel dedicated to St. Lucy. Santa Luċija's green pastures, are the local shepherd's playground, and sights of grazing sheep are very common especially in winter or spring. A number of old farmhouses in the area have been discreetly converted to country villas, with great care spent on these properties to retain a rustic look. Santa Luċija is one of the few unspoilt places in Gozo whose inhabitants stubbornly resist a hectic urban life while rendering nostalgists from larger communities envious of what they gave away in time.

Zones in Kerċem

• Fuq il-Blat
• Għajn Abdul
• Għar Ilma
• Iċ-Ċnus
• Ix-Xagħri
• Klula
• Lekx
• Sarraflu
• Ta' Berrini
• Ta' Ċajplu
• Ta' Ġanton
• Ta' Katas
• Ta' Majru
• Ta' Summina
• Ta' Xkura
• Tal-Warda
• Wardija
• Wied il-Ġifna
• Wied tal-Grixti

Kerċem Main Roads

• Triq l-Avukat Anton Calleja (Adv. Anthony Calleja Street)
• Triq Margerita De Brincat (Margreth De Brincat Street)
• Triq Qasam San Pawl (St Paul Estate Road)
• Pjazza San Girgor (St. Gregory Street)
• Triq Santa Luċija (Santa Lucia Road)
• Triq Ta' Kerċem (Kercem Road)
• Triq Xuxa (Xuxa Road)

Other Streets at Kerċem

• Daħla Ta' Berrini (Ta' Berrini Lane)
• Pjazza Salvatore Busuttil (Salvatore Busuttil Square)
• Sqaq it-Torri (Tower Alley)
• Sqaq Klula (Klula Alley)
• Sqaq San Girgor Nru.1-3 (St. Gregory Alley No.1 to 3)
• Sqaq Ta' Xirfi (Ta' Xirfi Alley)
• Triq Franġisk u Roża Camilleri (Frances and Rose Camilleri)
• Triq Ġużè Flores (Guse Flores Street)
• Triq Ġużeppi Briffa (Joseph Briffa Street)
• Triq Għajn Għabdun (Ghajn Ghabdun Road)
• Triq Għajn Tuta (Ghajn Tuta Road)
• Triq Għar Ilma (Water's Cave Street)
• Triq il-Bies (Bies Street)
• Triq il-Ġifna (Gifna Street)
• Triq il-Ġojjin (Gojjin Street)
• Triq il-Gamiem (Gamiem Street)
• Triq il-Ħorġ (Sack Street)
• Triq il-Kalandrijiet (Kalandrijiet Road)
• Triq is-Sokkors (Soccorso Street)
• Triq is-Summien (Summien Street)
• Triq it-Torri (Tower Street)
• Triq ix-Xagħri (Xaghri Street)
• Triq l-10 ta' Marzu, 1885 (10 March, 1885 Street)
• Triq l-Indipendenza (Independence Street)
• Triq Majru (Mairo Street)
• Triq Pejpu (Smoked Street)
• Triq Petri (Petri Street)
• Triq Qasam San Ġorġ (St. George Estate Road)
• Triq San Niklaw (St. Nicholas Street)
• Triq San Pietru u San Pawl (Saints Peter and Paul Street)
• Triq Sarġ (Sarg Street)
• Triq Ta' Berrini (Ta' Berrini Road)
• Triq Ta' Doti (Ta' Doti Road)
• Triq Tax-Xewka (Tax-Xewka Road)
• Triq Wenzu Mintoff (Lawrence Mintoff Street)
• Triq Wied Ħmar (Donkey's Valley Road)
• Triq Wied il-Lunzjata (Lunziata Valley Road)

Streets in Santa Luċija Area

• Daħla Tal-Warda (Tal-Warda Lane)
• Pjazza Santa Luċija (St. Lucy Square)
• Triq Bir Rix (Bir Rix Road)
• Triq Għajn Għabdun (Ghajn Ghabdun Road)
• Triq Għar Ilma (Water's Cave Street)
• Triq id-Daħla Ta' Ċajplu (Ta' Cajplu Entrance Street)
• Triq is-Santwarju Puniku (Punic Sanctuary Street)
• Triq it-13 ta' Diċembru (13 December Street)
• Triq Klula (Klula Road)
• Triq l-Għadira (Ghadira Road)
• Triq l-Orkestra Tad-Dudi (Dudi's Orchestra Street)
• Triq Santa Katarina Tal-Qabbieża (St. Catherine of Qabbieza Street)
• Triq Ta' l-Lonz (Ta' l-Lonz Road)
• Triq Ta' Wied Mans (Mans Valley Road)