PNL 0002
Development of the Complex
Historical Timeline 1
1566 - 1596
Building of the new Church and Priory
by Arch. Giorolomo Cassar. " Our Lady of Perpetual Help".
11th Jan 1693
Earthquake Impacting the Structural Integrity of the Church and Priory.
1724 - 1785
Building the New Church and the Priory Designed by Arch. Giuseppe Bonici.
1727 - 1763
Demolition works on the Old Church.
1779 - 1785
Amendments to plans for the New Church adopted bt Arch. Antonio Cachia.
7th May 1785
"Blessing of the New Church.
1798
Napoleon Bonaparte's troops confiscated priory and church.
Ransack the property and adapt it into a house of Industry and Bakery.
1801
Property reinstated under the British Protectorate.
1815 - 1853
Further changes are commissioned.
1906
Church Blessed by the Bishop of Gozo H.E. Fr Giovanni M. Camilleri OSA.
1920 - 1942
WWII axis bombing: Significant dmage to sections of the church and Priory.
1943 - 1948
"Parts of the church and priory reconstructed through War Damages and The Community Funds.
"
2015 - 2024
Restoration Works to the Church and Priory;
Reintegration of Sections.
"
c 1350 - The Origins of the Maltese Augustinians
It is difficult to say with certainty when the Augustinians came to Malta. However, we can say that their presence in Malta takes us back to the second half of the 14thcentury, because this is the period that our historical sources are certain about. In the general archives of the Order we have the first reference to a Maltese Augustinian monk, a certain Fra Frangisk of Malta (+1416) in a general register dated 1386. Other documents found in Palermo show that there was an Augustinian presence in Malta in 1412.
There is evidence to show that the Augustinians took care of the Marian sanctuary of Mellieha. They left this sanctuary probably due to the fear of attacks by corsairs. It is certain however that the Augustinians lost their monastery in Rabat, together with all their possessions, during the Turkish siege of 1429.
1350
< 1533 - The Augustinians in Gozo
Together with these two principal convents we need to add the one on the island of Gozo. We do not know exactly when the first convent was built in Gozo. It is known that in 1533 the building was pulled down to be replaced by a new structure that better served the needs of the community. Between 1660 and 1717 both the church and convent were enlarged.
The Augustinian monks that used to look after the chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows in Pieta’ (1617-1652) and of our Lady of Virtu’ (1659). During the French occupation, the convents of Rabat and Valletta were debuted of all their wealth and had to bow their heads to the despotic orders of the authorities that too away their religious freedom and their valuable possessions.
1533
1571 - Church & Convent
The Valletta Church and Convent are established on Valletta's plan.
In 1566, just after the Great Siege of Malta, the Grand Master Jean de la Valette, decided to build a new capital city. In 1571 a contract was signed wherein the Augustinians were given a whole “quarter” so that they could build a convent and church. Later on in 1763, the old building was demolished and a new and majestic convent church was built in its stead. The church is unique in Malta in that it has the shape of a Greek cross. The whole complex was completed in 1794. During the Second World War parts of the convent and church were completely destroyed by German bombing but they were rebuilt anew.
1571
1600 - The Augustinians in the 16th Century
They built another convent frontespicio contra et prope civitatem quantum est jactus lapidis (a stone’s throw away from the walls of Mdina). This convent was demolished by the Maltese in July 1551 when the Turks were about to attack Mdina. The reason for its demolition was that the convent was too close to the walls of Mdina and so the Turks could use it as siege platform that would have enabled them to enter Mdina. In this tragic episode, the Augustinians once again lost all their possessions.
The Augustinians had to wait till the 28th August 1555 to acquire from the Mdina Cathedral Chapter a small chapel dedicated to St. Mark together with a few adjoining demolished houses on Saqqajja just outside Mdina. This is an important date in the history of the Augustinians in Malta as it is considered as the new beginning of the Augustinian presence in Malta and Gozo that has continued uninterrupted to the present day. The present convent is an architectural gem that takes to the middle of the 18th century. This magnificent baroque building was the brain child of the famous architect Andrea Belli. Slowly, slowly, the convent just outside Mdina (now in Rabat) became the very heart of the Augustinian presence. This became a house of formation and the philiosophical and theological school of the Order in Malta. It was given the title of conventus maior and for a very long time (1515-1614) the members of the community enjoyed the privilege choosing their own Prior. In 1602 the Prior General, Ippolito of Ravenna called it domus celeberrima. Many Augustinians who dedicated themselves to scholarship and who served overseas, especially in the houses of the Order in Italy, received their studies in this convent. Mons. Gejtanu Pace Forno, Arhbishop of Malta ta’ Malta (1858-1874), Mons. Paul Micallef, Prior General of the Order (1859-1863), Bishop of Città di Castello (1863), Administrator the the Diocese of Gozo (1866-1867) and Archbishop of Pisa and Primate of Sardinia (1871-1883), Mons. Giovanni M. Camilleri, Bishop of Gozo (1889-1924) and his Eminence Cardinal Prospero Grech are a few of the many Maltese Augustinians who distinguished themselves and who are known for their wisdom, their spirituality and their service to the Church.
The Augustinians had to wait till the 28th August 1555 to acquire from the Mdina Cathedral Chapter a small chapel dedicated to St. Mark together with a few adjoining demolished houses on Saqqajja just outside Mdina. This is an important date in the history of the Augustinians in Malta as it is considered as the new beginning of the Augustinian presence in Malta and Gozo that has continued uninterrupted to the present day. The present convent is an architectural gem that takes to the middle of the 18th century. This magnificent baroque building was the brain child of the famous architect Andrea Belli. Slowly, slowly, the convent just outside Mdina (now in Rabat) became the very heart of the Augustinian presence. This became a house of formation and the philiosophical and theological school of the Order in Malta. It was given the title of conventus maior and for a very long time (1515-1614) the members of the community enjoyed the privilege choosing their own Prior. In 1602 the Prior General, Ippolito of Ravenna called it domus celeberrima. Many Augustinians who dedicated themselves to scholarship and who served overseas, especially in the houses of the Order in Italy, received their studies in this convent. Mons. Gejtanu Pace Forno, Arhbishop of Malta ta’ Malta (1858-1874), Mons. Paul Micallef, Prior General of the Order (1859-1863), Bishop of Città di Castello (1863), Administrator the the Diocese of Gozo (1866-1867) and Archbishop of Pisa and Primate of Sardinia (1871-1883), Mons. Giovanni M. Camilleri, Bishop of Gozo (1889-1924) and his Eminence Cardinal Prospero Grech are a few of the many Maltese Augustinians who distinguished themselves and who are known for their wisdom, their spirituality and their service to the Church.
1600
1788 - The Maltese Augustinian Province
In 1788, King Ferdinand of the two Sicilies ordered that all the convents that fell under his jurisdiction should no longer be run by the Prior General in Rome. As a reaction to this, in 1790, the two convents in Malta and the one in Gozo became an autonomous province by order of the Prior General Stefano Bellesini.
Nevertheless, this decree never came into force because it wasn’t approved by the Holy See and as a consequence of this the three convents fell once again under the jurisdiction of the Province of Sicily. In 1801 the British High Commissioner sent a notice to the local bishop and to all the Religious Orders stating that the British Crown didn’t recognise foreign superiors. When the monks realised that the religious observance was at risk, they asked Pope Pius VII to accept that the three Maltese convents become an Autonomous Province.
With a decree of the 14th September 1817, Septimus Rotelli, Vicar General of the Order set up the Maltese Augustinian Province with the title of the Province of St. Mark.
1788
1817 - The Province of St Mark
With a decree of the 14th September 1817, Septimus Rotelli, Vicar General of the Order set up the Maltese Augustinian Province with the title of the Province of St. Mark
1817
1912 - Alterations to existing church and belfrey added.
1912
1941 - Heavy damage during WWII.
Heavy damage through enemy action WWII.
1941
1968 - St.Augustine's Valletta becomes a Parish.
St.Augustine's Valletta, becomes a Parish.
1968
2017 - 500 Years in Malta
2017
2023
2023