| Ta' Kerċem | |
| Native Name Lang: | mt |
| Settlement Type: | Local council |
| Coordinates: | 36.0406°N 14.2297°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Malta |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Gozo Region |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Gozo and Comino District |
| Parts Type: | Borders |
| Parts Style: | para |
| P1: | Fontana, Għarb, Għasri, Munxar, San Lawrenz, Victoria |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Mario Azzopardi |
| Leader Party: | PN |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 5.5 |
| Population Total: | 1938 |
| Population As Of: | March 2014 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Demonym: | Kerċmi (m), Kerċmija (f), Kerċmin (pl) |
| Timezone1: | CET |
| Utc Offset1: | +1 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | KCM |
| Area Code Type: | Dialing code |
| Area Code: | 356 |
| Iso Code: | MT-22 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Patron saints |
| Blank Info Sec1: | St. Gregory Our Lady of Perpetual Help |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Day of festa |
| Website: | Official website |
Ta' Kerċem is an administrative unit of Malta, on the island of Gozo, with a population of 1,938 people as of March 2014.[1]
The village of Ta' Kerċem lies south-west of Victoria, spread between the picturesque Lunzjata Valley, the green hills of Tal-Mixta, Għar Ilma and Ta' Dbieġi, and stretching up to the Pond of Għadira ta' San Rafflu and the Xlendi cliffs.
Archaeological discoveries show that the sizeable area of Ta' Kerċem was inhabited as early as the Għar Dalam phase (5000–4500 BC). The Roman Baths and an early Christian cemetery at Għar Gerduf, referred to by Gozitan historian Giovanni Pietro Francesco Agius de Soldanis as Roman Catacombs, are also significant discoveries. However, to date, these historic sites are not accessible to the public.
Ta' Kerċem evolved into a village community in the late Middle Ages, around an ancient chapel dedicated to Pope Gregory the Great built around 1581. The site gained historical importance due to the annual traditional St. Gregory procession from the Matrix church in Rabat (Victoria) to this medieval chapel, upon the saint's feast, namely on 12 March. The chapel was, however, replaced by the present parish church in 1851, which was enlarged to its present state between 1906 and 1910. Ta' Kerċem became a distinct parish on 10 March 1885 by Bishop Pietru Pace. The Ta' Kerċem parish church is the only Gozitan church which is jointly dedicated to two saints. As referred earlier, it was traditionally dedicated to Pope Gregory, but, since 17 August 1885, the church was additionally co-dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The village celebrates the summerly feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help every second week of June.
The village of Ta' Kerċem has a population of around 1700 people. Cultural activities include the annual Għadira Fair, which is a popular traditional family fair in the countryside area of Sarraflu. Ta' Kerċem is home to Kerċem Ajax Stadium, one of the biggest stadiums in Gozo. It is mainly used for Gozo Football League Second Division games. The stadium is the home stadium of Kerċem Ajax F.C.
Incorporated within Ta' Kerċem is the hamlet of Santa Luċija, Gozo. Santa Luċija is inhabited by country folk with a few old houses built around an old chapel dedicated to St. Lucy.
In 2018, the former police station in the locality was vacated and put up for sale.[2]
Virginia De Brincat was baptised here in 1862. She co-founded the Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus and was known as Mother Margerita.[3]