The Order of Friars Minor established a small chapel in Ħamrun on 16 August 1947, and it was located in a converted garage.

This chapel was meant to be temporary, and the Order began to search for a plot of land on which to build a permanent church soon afterwards.

After the site was chosen, construction of the church began with the first stone being laid down on 13 April 1952 by Tarcisju Xerri, the Order's superior.

[1] The church has a large bell tower which is topped by a statue of St Francis sculpted by Marco Montebello[4] and installed on 21 February 1960.

[1] The church has a titular statue of St Francis accepting his stigmata which was sculpted in marble by Wistin Camilleri, and it also contains marble statues of Anthony of Padua and the Immaculate Conception which were produced by the Andriani company of Lucca.