St John's Co-Cathedral
Encyclopedia
St. Johns Co-Cathedral located in Valletta
, Malta
, was built by the Knights of Malta
between 1573 and 1578, having been commissioned in 1572 by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière
as the conventual church of the Order of the Knights Hospitaller of St John, known as the Knights of Malta. The Church was designed by the Maltese
military architect
Glormu Cassar who designed several of the more prominent buildings in Valletta.
The interior, in sharp contrast with the facade, is extremely ornate http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Malta/photo21188.htm and decorated in the height of the Baroque period. The interior was largely decorated by Mattia Preti
, the Calabrian artist and Knight
. Preti designed the intricate carved stone walls and painted the vaulted ceiling and side altars with scenes from the life of St John. Interestingly, the figures painted into the ceiling next to each column initially appear to the viewer as 3 dimensional statues, but on closer inspection we see that the artist cleverly created an illusion of 3 dimensionality by his use of shadows and placement. Also noteworthy is the fact that the carving was all undertaken in-place (in-situ) rather than being carved independently and then attached to the walls (stucco). The Maltese limestone from which the Cathedral is built lends itself particularly well to such intricate carving.
Near the main entrance one finds the monument of Grand Master Fra Marc'Antonio Zondadari
of Siena
. He was the nephew of Pope Alexander VII
.
The Cathedral contains eight rich chapels, each of which was dedicated to the patron saint of the 8 langues (or sections) of the Knights. On the left side of the church there are the following chapels;
The Chapel of the Anglo-Bavarian Langue was formerly known as the Chapel of the Relic where the Knights used to keep relics that they have acquired through the centuries.
The Chapel of Provence
is dedicated to Saint Michael.
The Chapel of France
is dedicated to the Conversion of Saint Paul
. This chapel was modified in the 19th century. The monuments found in this chapel are those of grandmasters Fra Adrien de Wignacourt and Fra Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc
.
The Chapel of Italy
, dedicated to St Catherine
, the patron saint of Italy.
The Chapel of Germany
is dedicated to the Epiphany
of Christ. The titular paint is by Stefano Erardi, a Maltese painter.
On the right side of the church there are the following chapels;
The Chapel of Blessed Sacrament was formerly known as the Chapel of Our Lady of Filermos. The titular painting of this chapel is Our Lady of Carafa which is a copy of Our Lady of Lanciano. Among the knight buried in this chapel there is Fra Gian Francesco Abela and Fra Flaminio Balbiano.
The Chapel of Auvergne
is dedicated to Saint Sebastian. The only monument in this chapel is that of Fra Annet de Clermont.
The Chapel of Aragon
is dedicated to St. George. The titular painting was painted by Mattia Preti and it is considered as one of his masterpieces. In this chapel one can find the monuments of the following grandmasters, Fra Martin de Redin
, Fra Raphael Cottoner, Fra Nicolas Cottoner, Fra Ramon Perellos.
The Chapel of Castile
, Leon
, and Portugal
dedicated to St James the Less. The monuments in this chapel are those of grandmasters Fra Antonio Manoel de Vilhena
and Fra Manuel Pinto de Fonseca.
The painting depicting The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist
(1608) by Caravaggio
(1571–1610) is the most famous work in the church. Considered one of Caravaggio's masterpieces and the only painting signed by the painter, the canvas is displayed in the Oratory for which it was painted. Restored in the late 1990s in Florence, this painting is one of Caravaggio's most impressive uses of the chiaroscuro
style for which he is most famous with a circle of light illuminating the scene of St John's beheading at the request of Salome. The oratory also houses Caravaggio's St Jerome III (1607–1608).
Another impressive feature of the church is the collection of marble tombstones in the nave in which were buried important knights. The more important knights were placed closer to the front of the church. These tombstones, richly decorated with in-laid marble and with the coats of arms of the knight buried below as well as images relevant to that knight, often telling a story of triumph in battle, form a rich visual display in the church. Another important work of art is the Mazzuoli Group sculpture which lies behind the main altar
.
Adjoining to the church is the St John's Co-Cathedral Museum containing art objects. Among the contents of the museum there are the Tapestries of Grandmaster Fra Ramon Perellos de Roccaful, paintings of the following Grandmasters Fra Jean de la Cassiere, Fra Nicola Cottoner and Fra Emanuel Pinto de Fonseca, painting which were formerly in the side chapel such as St. George killing the Dragon by Francesco Potenzano
.
Monday to Friday: 09.30 to 16.30 (last admission at 16.00)
Saturdays: 09.30 to 12.30 (last admission at 12.00).
Closed on Sunday and Public Holidays.
The entrance fee includes the provision of audio guides with 24 stops. These guides are available to visitors in six languages (Maltese, English, Italian, French, German and Spanish).
. The name, Co-Cathedral, refers to its later, dual role. In the 1820s, the Bishop of Malta, whose seat was at Mdina, was allowed to use St John’s as an alternative see, hence the name Co-Cathedral. The land on which the Co-cathedral was built belongs to the Government of Malta and the care of the co-cathedral and museum has been entrusted to the St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation whose executive secretary is Dr Claude P.P. Busuttil. The curator is Ms Cynthia de Giorgio, while the project's Co-ordinator is Mr Dane Munro.
The bells of St. John's Co Cathedral at Valletta:
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, was built by the Knights of Malta
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
between 1573 and 1578, having been commissioned in 1572 by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière
Jean de la Cassière
Fra' Jean l'Evesque de la Cassière was the 51st Grand Master of the Order of Malta, from 1572 to 1581. He commissioned the building of the Conventual Church of the Order in Valletta, Malta, and is buried in the Crypt of St...
as the conventual church of the Order of the Knights Hospitaller of St John, known as the Knights of Malta. The Church was designed by the Maltese
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
military architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Glormu Cassar who designed several of the more prominent buildings in Valletta.
Facade
The severe exterior of the Cathedral, built immediately after the ending of the Great Siege of 1565, is reminiscent of a military fort.Interior
Mattia Preti
Mattia Preti was an Italian Baroque artist who worked in Italy and Malta.- Biography :Born in the small town of Taverna in Calabria, Preti was sometimes called Il Cavalier Calabrese...
, the Calabrian artist and Knight
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
. Preti designed the intricate carved stone walls and painted the vaulted ceiling and side altars with scenes from the life of St John. Interestingly, the figures painted into the ceiling next to each column initially appear to the viewer as 3 dimensional statues, but on closer inspection we see that the artist cleverly created an illusion of 3 dimensionality by his use of shadows and placement. Also noteworthy is the fact that the carving was all undertaken in-place (in-situ) rather than being carved independently and then attached to the walls (stucco). The Maltese limestone from which the Cathedral is built lends itself particularly well to such intricate carving.
Near the main entrance one finds the monument of Grand Master Fra Marc'Antonio Zondadari
Marc'Antonio Zondadari
Fra' Marc'Antonio Zondadari, from Siena, was the 65th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta, from 1720, after the death of Fra Ramon Perellos de Roccaful, till 1722. Although his reign only lasted for two years, he was popular with the Maltese...
of Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
. He was the nephew of Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII , born Fabio Chigi, was Pope from 7 April 1655, until his death.- Early life :Born in Siena, a member of the illustrious banking family of Chigi and a great-nephew of Pope Paul V , he was privately tutored and eventually received doctorates of philosophy, law, and theology from...
.
Chapels
The Chapel of the Anglo-Bavarian Langue was formerly known as the Chapel of the Relic where the Knights used to keep relics that they have acquired through the centuries.
The Chapel of Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
is dedicated to Saint Michael.
The Chapel of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
is dedicated to the Conversion of Saint Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
. This chapel was modified in the 19th century. The monuments found in this chapel are those of grandmasters Fra Adrien de Wignacourt and Fra Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc
Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc
Fra' Sir Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc was a member of the wealthy and influential Rohan family of France, and 70th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta from 1775 to 1797....
.
The Chapel of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, dedicated to St Catherine
Catherine of Siena
Saint Catherine of Siena, T.O.S.D, was a tertiary of the Dominican Order, and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the papacy of Gregory XI back to Rome from its displacement in France, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states. She was proclaimed a Doctor...
, the patron saint of Italy.
The Chapel of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
is dedicated to the Epiphany
Epiphany (Christian)
Epiphany, or Theophany, meaning "vision of God",...
of Christ. The titular paint is by Stefano Erardi, a Maltese painter.
On the right side of the church there are the following chapels;
The Chapel of Blessed Sacrament was formerly known as the Chapel of Our Lady of Filermos. The titular painting of this chapel is Our Lady of Carafa which is a copy of Our Lady of Lanciano. Among the knight buried in this chapel there is Fra Gian Francesco Abela and Fra Flaminio Balbiano.
The Chapel of Auvergne
Auvergne (province)
Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province....
is dedicated to Saint Sebastian. The only monument in this chapel is that of Fra Annet de Clermont.
The Chapel of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
is dedicated to St. George. The titular painting was painted by Mattia Preti and it is considered as one of his masterpieces. In this chapel one can find the monuments of the following grandmasters, Fra Martin de Redin
Martin de Redin
Fra' Martin de Redin was a Spanish military and politician, and the 58th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta.He became Grand Prior of the Order of Malta of Navarra in 1641, and Viceroy of Sicily in 1656....
, Fra Raphael Cottoner, Fra Nicolas Cottoner, Fra Ramon Perellos.
The Chapel of Castile
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
, Leon
Kingdom of León
The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in AD 910 when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their capital from Oviedo to the city of León...
, and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
dedicated to St James the Less. The monuments in this chapel are those of grandmasters Fra Antonio Manoel de Vilhena
António Manoel de Vilhena
Dom Fra' António Manoel de Vilhena was the 66th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta from 19 June 1722 to his death in 1736....
and Fra Manuel Pinto de Fonseca.
Works of art
The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (Caravaggio)
The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist is an oil painting by the Italian artist Caravaggio. According to Andrea Pomella in Caravaggio: An Artist through Images , the work is widely considered to be Caravaggio's masterpiece as well as "one of the most important works in Western...
(1608) by Caravaggio
Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta, and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on the Baroque...
(1571–1610) is the most famous work in the church. Considered one of Caravaggio's masterpieces and the only painting signed by the painter, the canvas is displayed in the Oratory for which it was painted. Restored in the late 1990s in Florence, this painting is one of Caravaggio's most impressive uses of the chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro in art is "an Italian term which literally means 'light-dark'. In paintings the description refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modelling of the subjects depicted"....
style for which he is most famous with a circle of light illuminating the scene of St John's beheading at the request of Salome. The oratory also houses Caravaggio's St Jerome III (1607–1608).
Another impressive feature of the church is the collection of marble tombstones in the nave in which were buried important knights. The more important knights were placed closer to the front of the church. These tombstones, richly decorated with in-laid marble and with the coats of arms of the knight buried below as well as images relevant to that knight, often telling a story of triumph in battle, form a rich visual display in the church. Another important work of art is the Mazzuoli Group sculpture which lies behind the main altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
.
Adjoining to the church is the St John's Co-Cathedral Museum containing art objects. Among the contents of the museum there are the Tapestries of Grandmaster Fra Ramon Perellos de Roccaful, paintings of the following Grandmasters Fra Jean de la Cassiere, Fra Nicola Cottoner and Fra Emanuel Pinto de Fonseca, painting which were formerly in the side chapel such as St. George killing the Dragon by Francesco Potenzano
Francesco Potenzano
Francesco Potenzano was an Italian painter, poet, and promoter, called The Great. He was a native of Palermo. He travelled to Rome, Naples, Malta, and through a large part of Spain. He died in 1599.-References:...
.
Visiting
The cathedral is open to visitors fromMonday to Friday: 09.30 to 16.30 (last admission at 16.00)
Saturdays: 09.30 to 12.30 (last admission at 12.00).
Closed on Sunday and Public Holidays.
The entrance fee includes the provision of audio guides with 24 stops. These guides are available to visitors in six languages (Maltese, English, Italian, French, German and Spanish).
Other information
St. John's was the conventual church of the Hospitallers (the Knights of Saint John). Conventual in the sense of the convent and over time grew to equal prominence with the archbishop's cathedral at MdinaMdina
Mdina, Città Vecchia, or Città Notabile, is the old capital of Malta. Mdina is a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the centre of the island. Punic remains uncovered beyond the city’s walls suggest the importance of the general region to Malta’s Phoenician settlers. Mdina is commonly...
. The name, Co-Cathedral, refers to its later, dual role. In the 1820s, the Bishop of Malta, whose seat was at Mdina, was allowed to use St John’s as an alternative see, hence the name Co-Cathedral. The land on which the Co-cathedral was built belongs to the Government of Malta and the care of the co-cathedral and museum has been entrusted to the St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation whose executive secretary is Dr Claude P.P. Busuttil. The curator is Ms Cynthia de Giorgio, while the project's Co-ordinator is Mr Dane Munro.
External links
- Website of St John's Co-Cathedral
- Photosynth of the Main Altar of St. John's Co-Cathedral
- Photosynth of the Facade of St. John's Co-Cathedral
- maltain360.com - 360° view of St John's Co-Cathedral
The bells of St. John's Co Cathedral at Valletta:
- PLENUM
- The 2 Bells Ringing Instant a Peal Those 2 bells is 3rd bell (SI2) and big bell (SOL2) of this cathedral. The mass of big bell is 7000 kg and is 3rd great bell of Malta.