Għajnsielem was established as an autonomous parish in 1855 by Papal decree. The original parish church still stands, but as the village grew, the need for a larger one became clear. In 1924, work began on the present church, built in Gothic-Lombard style and designed in the form of a Latin cross. The photo, taken in 1978, shows the church just months before the bell tower was completed and blessed in June 1979. The church itself had already been blessed on 29 August 1978. Its long construction was interrupted several times, most notably during the war years between 1939 and 1946, and marked by trials such as two near-fatal falls suffered by worker Toni Vella. Over the decades, the project passed through the hands of several architects – Mallia, Guże D’Amato, Joseph Mizzi of San Lawrenz, and finally Joe Ellul Vincenti of Sliema – while local builders including Frangisk Farrugia, Wenzu Borg, Toni Vella, Guzepp Dimech, and Emanuel Saliba played their part. Dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto, the new church eventually became the home of the titular statue transferred from the old parish church. The village celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Loreto today.