The Power and the Glory

Photography by Malta Tourism Authority

Floor and ceiling seem to rush around me in a swirl as I enter St John’s co-Cathedral. Covered in magnificent frescos, opulent decorations and high archways, for a moment nothing else is but the magnificence and pulsating life of this interior, bursting from its walls into a hymn of glory.

There is precious little to indicate the beauty and richness of this interior as the façade of St John’s co-Cathedral, standing placidly in Valletta as life rushes around it, verges on the austere. Yet, this plain exterior conceals a church of such magnificent opulence that it crowds the imagination, stirring deep emotions and awing visitors with the sheer sweep and breadth of its scope.

Dating back to the Knights of Malta’s stay on the island, the Cathedral was commissioned in 1572 by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière and dedicated to St John, the Order’s patron saint. It was designed by celebrated Maltese architect Gerolamo Cassar and took five years to complete. For many years, it was a work-in-progress, helped along by masterful Calabrian artist Mattia Preti who, between 1661 and 1666, transformed the interior into the dazzling, colourful and luxurious one that visitors enjoy today. It is also noteworthy that all of Preti’s stone carving was undertaken in-place (in-situ) rather than being carved independently and then attached to the walls later – the readily available local limestone lends itself to this task extremely well.

So wonderful are the Cathedral and museum that you might initially feel overwhelmed, but do allow yourself time to explore. Within the church itself, the whole floor consists of around 375 polychromatic marble inlaid tombstones – the burying site for the high dignitaries of the Order which date from the early 17th century to the late 18th century. Each bears a Latin inscription about the deceased in question and is adorned with their coats-of-arms; the more important the knight, the closer his resting spot to the front of the church.

On either side of the main section of the church, are the Chapels of the Langues, each dedicated to the various langues (or sections) of the Order and their respective saints. Each contains a wealth of treasures including artwork and valuable silver items. Into the Grandmaster’s Crypt you will find the final resting place of 12 of the 18 Grandmasters; their monuments alone are sculptural masterpieces.

Stand at the centre of the cathedral and look up to see the Vault Paintings, named after the rounded ceiling, which were also completed by Mattia Preti as part of the redecoration of the cathedral. He divided each of the six bays of the vaults to suit an 18-episode narrative of St John’s life, ending with his tragic beheading.

References to the saint are found throughout the Cathedral and through into the Oratory lies one of Caravaggio’s most exquisite and valuable works – The Beheading of St John the Baptist. It is the altarpiece of the Oratory and still sits in the spot that it was originally ordered for. This priceless piece was commissioned by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt and finished by the artist in 1607; it is the largest painting produced by Caravaggio and the only one known to be signed. The painting alone is one of the most impressive treasures of St John’s Co-Cathedral, its size and story – intricate details of which are explained on site – are both beguiling and awe-inspiring. Another painting by Caravaggio – St Jerome Writing – is also found at the Cathedral.

The Cathedral Museum has incredible treasures of its own and is one of Malta’s richest collections of sacred artefacts, old photographs and precious altar accessories. The Flemish Tapestries are the largest complete series in the world – a set of 29 pieces donated by Grandmaster Ramon Perellos in 1702 as his gift to the Knights of St John. They were ordered from the Brussels atelier Judecos de Vos for the sum of 40,000 scudi (the monetary unit utilised at the time of the Knights), and based on cartoons of the same subjects by Peter Paul Rubens; the larger ones depict the life of Christ. They were originally suspended from the main cornice of the Cathedral along the nave of the church during important occasions. Currently these tapestries are being restored to their former glory, and are being sent to Belgium two at a time while two of the restored tapestries have now been returned. It is expected that the rest of the restoration process will take a number of years to complete.

Within the museum you will also find Malta’s most impressive collection of illuminated manuscripts dating back to 1533 – they are by far the most beautifully executed choral books on the island and very interesting to look through. There are three sets, all gifts from various Grandmasters, and each one features fine Gothic script on parchment and hand-painted illuminations of extraordinary beauty.

Finally, the museum also holds a collection of several sets of liturgical vestments also donated by several Grandmasters of the Order; they were originally used for important ceremonial occasions.

Slightly dazed, I walk back out to the capital from the Cathedral feeling like I’m emerging from another world – several worlds, in fact. As I join the passersby in the capital’s bustling streets, I take a final look behind me. The Cathedral stands there, large, austere and imposing, offering no hint of the fire, beauty and imagination inside.

The Cathedral is open from 09.30-16.30 from Monday to Friday (last admission 16.00). On Saturdays 09.30-12.30 (last admission 12.00), closed on Sundays and public holidays.