Province of St. Mark

Augustinian Presence in Valletta

The Augustinian presence in Valletta goes back to the time after the Great Siege of 1565, when the Grand Master Jean de la Valette decided to fortify Sciberras Hill and built on it a new city, in case Malta was attacked again by the Turks. The foundation stone of this new city, named after him – Valletta, was laid on 28th March 1566. For this occasion, Fr. Spirito Angosciola, an Italian Augustinian from Vicenza, gave an inaugural speech, which remained famous. Unfortunately, Grand Master La Valette died in August 1568, before his city was finished. Pietro del Monte, from Italy, was appointed after him and he immediately continued with the plans, which had been started by the grandmaster before him. In order to attract more people to go and live in this new city, Del Monte started distributing land to religious orders so they could also build their churches. The Augustinian friars of Rabat, requested and were given a piece of land in district no. 43, which was connected with four roads – Strada Del Monte (today’s St. John Street), Strada San Giovanni (today’s Old Bakery Street), Strada Pia (today’s Melita Street) and Strada San Sebastiano (today’s Old Mint Street). The contract was signed on 10th May 1571 and immediately, a church and a priory were built, on the design of architect Glormu Cassar. The church was dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation, although the priory was named after St. Augustine. It is most probable that the first Augustinian church in Valletta was built in the corner of St. Sebastian’s Street and today’s St. Mark’s Street, with its main door leading to St. Sebastian’s Street. The construction of the building had to be stopped for some time as permission had not been requested from Bishop Mons. F.D. Martin Royas. However, on 1st November 1574, Fr. Awrelju Axiaq, Prior of the priory at Rabat, by means of a letter sent to him by the same bishop, once again obtained permission to continue working on the construction of the building.

After almost two hundred years since, the friars had started carrying out their pastoral duties in their first church at Valletta, both the church and the priory, needed to be repaired urgently. For this reason, the friars thought that it would be better if they demolished the whole thing and start building from scratch. The corner of Old Bakery Street, connecting with St. John’s Street, was chosen for the construction of the new church – a land which was acquired by the friars through purchase and exchange. On 7th January 1765, the foundation stone of the new church and the new priory was laid. When the construction of the church was in a developed stage, in 1779, the architect Giuseppe Bonnici died and the work was continued by another architect, Antonio Cachia, who made two changes. Due to lack of funds, which brought about huge debts and a lot of sacrifices from the friars, the whole building couldn’t be finished for another thirty years, that is, in 1794, just four years before the French occupation. On 7th May 1785, the church was officially inaugurated although another nine years had to pass before all the works were completed. Mons. Vincenzo Labini, Bishop of Malta blessed the church and transported the Sacrament from the old church to the new one.

The arrival and occupation of the French in the Maltese Islands, brought about many orders and new decrees, amongst which that the religious orders in Malta couldn’t have more than one priory. In fact, they only allowed the most ruined priory to be kept by every religious order, so that they could strip the other priories of their wealth. Unfortunately, the only priory left to the Augustinian friars was the one in Gozo, which at that time was not in a good condition. Both priories in Valletta and in Rabat, were taken by the French, with everything that they possessed. Since all the Augustinian religious, who lived in Rabat and in Valletta, could not stay in that of Gozo, the majority went to live with their own families. The church and maybe even the priory, was given back to the friars between December 1800 and January 1801. As soon as they returned back, the Augustinian friars started again to redecorate this temple, which had been stripped of every silver and gold, while continuing the restoration of the place.

On 14th April 1815, a proposal was made to carry out some changes in the structure of the choir. The two doors in the choir were closed and another one was opened in the middle, under the stone statue of St. Augustine, sculptured by two Maltese brothers from Birgu, Gerolamo and Francesco Fabri, in the 18th century. The High Altar was moved approximately 31 to 41 inches forward. On 24th August 1834, Mons. Publio Sant consecrated the High Altar together with that of St. Nicholas of Tolentino, while the altar dedicated to the Annunciation was consecrated by the Augustinian Bishop Mons. Gejtanu Pace Forno on 26th August 1863. On 1st November 1844, it was proposed to build a new bell tower on the design laid out by architect Luigi Bonavia. The work, assigned to Anton Mamo, was completed in May of the following year (the right bell tower which was not damaged during the Second World War, was built in 1912). As soon as this work, together with the restoration of the façade of the church were finished, Provincial Gejtu Pace Forno was contacted by the General of the Order, ordering him to start a boarding school in the priory in Valletta and for this reason, he built another storey under guidance of architect Antonio Ruggieri, which was completed on 7th July 1848. On 22nd March 1871, Bishop Mons. Gejtanu Pace Forno consecrated the altars dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation, St. John of Sahagún and to Our Lady of Divine Help. Some time later, two big paintings, by the Roman painter, Domenico Bruschi, were hung in the choir. One of them represents the Baptism of St. Augustine (painted in 1875), while the other one represents St. Augustine preaching (painted in 1879). On 1st July 1906, the Bishop of Gozo, Mons. Giovanni M. Camilleri OSA solemnly consecrated the church and the High Altar, for the second time.

At the start of the Second World War, the charnel-house of the church started to be used as a shelter and a place of rest, for many people. On 20th May 1941, the Augustinian priory in Valletta was hit by bombs and suffered a lot of damaged, especially in the corner between Old Mint Street and St. Mark’s Street, where the refectory used to be and still is (this is the same place where our first church stood). In less than a year, on 4th April 1942, during another attack, the church was hit in the corner between Old Bakery Street and St. John’s Street. That corner, including the old bell tower and a great part of the chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart, were destroyed completely. For this reason, all the friars went to live in the priories at Rabat and in Gozo, except two or three of them, who remained in Valletta to guard whatever was left from the church and the priory. As soon as the war ended, both the church and the priory were rebuilt as they originally were, with some changes in the priory. The altar dedicated to the Sacred Heart was rebuilt and consecrated by the Augustinian Bishop Mons. Agostino Addeo on 7th May 1953. A new statue by Marku Montebello, was erected in place of the demolished statue of Augustine, which was in the corner of the road. This was blessed on Sunday 3rd October 1948. One of the many artistic works in our church is surely the magnificent marble pulpit, sculptured on the design of Vincenzo Bonello. The sculptural parts and their model were done by Professor Carlo Pigi from Rome. This pulpit was blessed and inaugurated on Thursday 15th June 1950.

The best part of the story in Valletta, however took place on Sunday 21st January 1968. In a pastoral letter by the Archbishop Mons. Michael Gonzi, which was read in all the churches in Malta, it was officially announced that the church of St. Augustine in Valletta was declared parish. This new parish church, which was formed out from that of St. Dominic and which is made up of a quarter of the population of Valletta, started to operate its rights as a parish on 1st February 1968. Fr. Salv Portelli OSA was chosen as the first parish priest of the new parish, which was solemnly inaugurated on 10th March 1968. Since its beginning as a parish, the community thought of making a statue of St. Augustine modelled on the one in the choir and in fact, this statue was made in Spain on the sketch of sculptor Vincenzo Apap and was blessed by the Provincial Fr. Egidju Galea on 21st August 1972. After some years, this same statue was clothed with a beautiful surplice and a stole, which gave a new look to St. Augustine, who was wearing a cloak and a mitre on a black Augustinian tunic.

Nowadays, the parish is still continuing to serve its great mission in a social and spiritual way. Many are those who refer to the parish priest or some other religious, trusting in God who could help them in the difficulties which they encounter. The Augustinian friars of this community also help in the pastoral work and in the spiritual needs of the parish by giving a useful service to those who attend the parish as well as those who are unable to leave their homes. Although it is a small parish in size, one can notice how rich it is in the numerous organisations, which it encompasses. In fact, the parish priest, the community of friars, the pastoral parochial council, together with a large number of volunteers, work hand in hand to prepare liturgical, formative and social activities for people of all ages.