One World - Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of the Maltese islands (38)

This limestone statue located in St Oswald Street in Mtarfa is of the saint wearing bishop's robes and mitre. The right hand is holding a book, while the left arm is completely missing from the shoulder and is believed to have held a crosier.

The square stone pedestal is four courses high with another course for the plinth at the base and another serving as a cornice. There is strong evidence of recent pointing of the joints and cleaning or possible restoration of the saint's face. Around the statue is a square wrought iron railing with spear-tipped ornamentation, some of which are broken off.

The actual dating and which saint is represented by this statue are so far unknown. It is tentatively dated to before the arrival of the British in Malta. Originally the statue was believed to represent St Oswald, however, Mtarfa local council believes that the statue is of St. Nicholas.

Mepa scheduled the statue of St Nicholas as a Grade 1 national monument as per Government Notice no. 628/08 in the Government Gazette dated July 21, 2008.