Żabbar is the fifth largest town in Malta, with a population of just over 18,000 (est. 2004). Originally a part of Zejtun, Zabbar was granted the title of Citta Hompesch by the last of the Grandmasters of the Knights of St. John, Ferdinand von Hompesch. The Grandmaster gave his surname to the city, which is still known (in honoriam) as Citta Hompesch. 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The crest of Zejtun, Citta Beland. ... The Knights Hospitaller (the or Knights of Malta or Knights of Rhodes) is a tradition which began as a Benedictine nursing Order founded in the 11th century based in the Holy Land, but soon became a militant Christian Chivalric Order under its own charter, and was charged with the care...

The city is very devout, particularly to Our Lady of Graces, to whom the city Sanctuary is dedicated. A vast number of paintings and other artefacts can be found in the village church museum, most of which have 'VFGA' in some way or other imprinted on them. This is the Latin abbreviation for 'Votum Fecit et Gratia Acceptit', meaning that a 'miracle' had been granted to the people after due intercession by the Madonna tal-Grazzja (Our Lady of Graces). These paintings are one of the largest votive paintings called Ex-Votos collection, about marine subjects and give large detail about ships of the Knights of Malta era. The Mattia Preti painting, found in the town's museum, is a particularly beautiful and invaluable painting. Latin is the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... The Knights Hospitaller (the or Knights of Malta or Knights of Rhodes) is a tradition which began as a Benedictine nursing Order founded in the 11th century based in the Holy Land, but soon became a militant Christian Chivalric Order under its own charter, and was charged with the care...

The name of the city derives (probably) from the Maltese word 'inżabbar', the process of grooming trees, cutting off untidy and diseased branches. Indeed, a number of families who specialised in 'żbir', this process, are known to have lived in the vicinity of this village during the Middle Ages.

After the French occupation of Malta, the Maltese populace in general soon became wary of their rulers and couped, deposing them. A memorable battle took place in front of the Zabbar Sanctuary. To this day, French-era cannonballs are to be seen in household walls in the city's older parts and some are also in the church museum after being retrieved from the old church dome.

More recently, on 14 October 1975 Vulcan B. 2, XM645 of No.9 Squadron RAF Wadington, the last of the great 'Graces' came over Żabbar, when an Avro Vulcan (a military aircraft) exploded over the village with many parts of it falling on the school and one wing full of fuel fell in Sanctuary Street, the main street of the village. Fortunately the children were having their break at that time and no one was in the school (at that time the pupils went home to have their break and then returned back to school). The whole accident, which involved other parts of the city, due to the violent explosion, claimed just one victim, who unluckily was hit by an electricity cable which was torn down by the falling aircraft wing. Various items (including the aircraft an undercarriage) can be seen at the city museum. The Avro Vulcan was a British built jet engined, delta_winged subsonic bomber, once part of the RAFs V bomber force. ...

Nowadays, Żabbar is a very prosperous town, with a number of small- to medium-sized businesses opening to cater for the city's ever-increasing needs.

Żabbar is famous for its village feast on the first Sunday after the 8th September, which features a motorcycles and bycicle pilgrimage each starting from Mosta and Rabat respectively. This is done because Our Lady Of Graces is the patron of cyclists. Strong, at times violent, competition exists between the village's two band clubs, locally known as the Maria Mater Gratiae (the blues) and the Għaqda Madonna Tal-Grazzja Banda San Mikiel (the greens). This competition mars Żabbar festas which otherwise are among the most popular village festas in Malta. September is the ninth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... A motorcycle (or motorbike) is a two-wheeled vehicle powered by an engine. ... This mountain bicycle features oversized tires, a sturdy frame, front shock absorbers, and handlebars oriented perpendicular to the bikes axis Bicycle may also refer to Bicycle Playing Cards. ...