Paola

Paola, (or old name Casal Pawla), is a town in the south of Malta. It is named after its founder, the Grandmaster Antoine de Paule, but is commonly known as Rahal Gdid, which means new town in Maltese. There are two parish churches one is dedicated to Christ the King and the other to Our Lady of Lourdes. The feast of Christ the King is celebrated on the 4th Sunday of July, whereas that of Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated on the 1st Sunday after the 15th of August. The parish also has a Franciscan church dedicated to Saint Anthony in part of the parish called Ghajn Dwieli. Paola also hosts Malta's only Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre. The country's correctional facilities are also situated in this town. The town is a commercial centre in the south of Malta, about 5 km from the capital Valletta.