St. John's Co-Cathedral

The St. John 's Co-Cathedral (Maltese con - Katidral ta ' San Gwann ) is the co-cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta, Valletta. It is referred to as co- cathedral, as it serves as the second seat of the Archbishop of Malta, next to the Cathedral of St. Paul in Mdina.

History

The church was built in 1573-1578 by Malteser International, commissioned by Grand Master Jean de la Cassière as representative monastery church at the Order headquarters. It was designed by the Maltese military architect Gerolamo Cassar, who designed many other buildings in Valletta. During the construction lasted only four years, required the complete interior equipment for over 100 years. 1820, Pope Pius VII the church for Co- Cathedral, to emphasize its importance for the country and the city even after the expulsion of the Knights of Malta by Napoleon in 1798; the actual episcopal see located in Mdina. Consecrated it is to St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Order of Malta.

Facade

The strict and rather plain exterior of the church is in stark contrast to the splendid interior. The building material is limestone.

Interior

The inside from the time of the high baroque was very ornate and richly decorated. The cathedral is even considered one of the most beautiful churches in the Mediterranean. The interior was equipped mostly by the Calabrian artist and Knight of Malta Mattia Pretiin. He created the intricate carved stone walls and painted the crown and side altars with scenes from the life of St. John. It is noteworthy that the carvings have been created on the spot and were not as usual carved independently and then attached to the walls (such as stucco).

Near the entrance there is the grave monument of the Grandmaster Marc'Antonio Zondadari of Siena. He was the nephew of Pope Alexander VII

The nave is 53 meters long and 15 meters wide with side chapels. Most walls are hung with tapestries.

Chapels

Instead of aisles can be found on the sides of eight richly decorated chapels, each of which was assigned to a "tongue" of the Knights and consecrated their patron saint.

  • In the Anglo- Bavarian chapel, formerly chapel relics, relics of the Knights were collected from several centuries.
  • The Chapel of Provence is dedicated to St. Michael.
  • The French chapel is dedicated to the conversion of the Apostle Paul. It was rebuilt in the 19th century. Here you will find the grave monuments of the Grand Master Fra Adrien de Wignacourt and Fra Emmanuel de Rohan - Polduc.
  • The Italian Chapel is the patron saint of Italy dedicated to: Catherine of Siena.
  • The German chapel of the Epiphany and the Three Kings dedicated, whose relics are venerated in the Cathedral. The painting was created by the Maltese painter Stefano Erardi.
  • The Chapel of the Holy Sacrament, formerly the chapel of Our Lady to Filermos, has the image of Our Lady to Carafa, which is a copy of the Lady to Lanciano. Under the chapel lie the burned body of Fra Gian Francesco Abela and Fra Flaminio Balbiano.
  • The Chapel of Auvergne is dedicated to St. Sebastian. There is also the tomb of Fra Annet de Clermont- Gessant.
  • The Chapel of Aragon is dedicated to St. George. The portrait was created by Mattia Oreti and is one of his masterpieces. In the chapel are the graves of Grand Master Fra Martin de Redin Fra Raphael Cotoner, Fra Nicolas Cotoner and Fra Ramon y Perellos Roccaful.
  • The Chapel of Castile, León and Portugal is dedicated to James the Great ( Sant ' Iago ). The tombs of this chapel are by Fra Antonio Manoel de Vilhena and Fra Manuel Pinto de Fonseca.

Side altar

Chapel

Digger

Works of art

One of the most important works of the Church is The Beheading of John the Baptist ( 1608) by Caravaggio ( 1571-1610 ). It is one of the masterpieces of the artist and his only signed painting. In the late 1990s it was restored in Florence.

Another work of art of the cathedral is the collection of marble grave stones in the middle of the nave, in which many important knights were buried. The most important knights are buried near the entrance. The grave stones are decorated with the respective arms of the Knights, skeletons and skulls as well as winning stories from their battles. 375 grave stones were sunk in the ground. The graves of the Grand Master are predominantly located in the crypt. Their tombs are among the " most perfect works of art of the High Baroque ".

Other art works can be found in the adjoining Cathedral Museum. Here are issued vestments, tapestries of the Grand Master Ramon Perello y Roccaful, paintings of the Grand Master Jean de la Cassiere, Nicola Cotoner and Manuel Pinto de Fonseca, and the painting St. George killing the dragon by Francesco Potenzano.

Maltese language St. Paul's Cathedral, Mdina Knights Hospitaller Girolamo Cassar Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc Auvergne (region) Annet de Clermont-Gessant Saint George Santiago de Compostela António Manoel de Vilhena Manuel Pinto da Fonseca
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