Sarria Church, officially the Church of the Immaculate Conception, is an impressive rotunda built in 1676 on the site of the chapel existing here since 1585, which was founded by a knight of the Order of St. Jana, Martino de Sarria Navarra. The currently existing building is the only church designed by the outstanding painter Mattia Preti. The construction of the temple was supervised by the famous Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafa.
Sarria Church is a vote of thanks for the Mother of God for protection against the plague, which is confirmed by the themes of seven paintings painted by Preti. In the main altar there is a representation of the immaculate conception, on which the figures of angels hide swords under their coats - a symbol of the fight against plague. Saints on other canvases wear stigmas of the plague, e.g. the body of St. Sebastian is covered in wounds reminiscent of those caused by plague.
In the pantheon of saints painted by Preti there is also Nicholas of Bari (Nicholas of Mira, St. Nicholas, the prototype of today's Santa Claus), who was the patron of the church founder, Grand Master of the Knights of St. John, Nicolas Cotera.
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