As Gżira’s population grew a request for the setting up of a new parish was made to Bishop Maurus Caruana and on the 15 May 1921, Gżira was declared a parish dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Shortly after, Antonio Sammut purchased a plot of land and approached the
parish priest offering to supervise the construction of a new church for which he had drawn up a plan himself. This was later endorsed by the ecclesiastical authorities and approved by architect Antonio Caruana.
