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Co-Cathedral of St John The cathedral was built between 1572 and 1581 by Geralomo Cassar. Nearly a century later the prolific Italian artist, Mattia Preti, transformed Cassar's severe interior into a glowing showpiece of baroque art. Preti designed the intricate carved stone walls and painted the vaulted ceiling and side altars with scenes from the life of St John. |
The Cathedral is a shrine to the Knights in another sense. Many sons of Europe’s noble families from the 16th to 18th centuries lie buried here. The remains of 12 Grand Masters are buried in the Crypt, mostly in sarcophagi. The only ordinary Knight to have the honour of being buried here is Sir Oliver Starkey, English secretary to Grand Master Jean Parisot de La Vallette during the Great Siege.
Of all the artistic treasures in the church, the piece-de-resistance is generally considered to be Caravaggio's painting of The Beheading of St John the Baptist. This huge, vigorous & famous work of art dominates the oratory. It is certainly a spectacular building and a fitting resting place for the founder of Valletta, Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Vallette. His tomb lies in the crypt, a quiet sanctuary and place of contemplation away from the busy streets outside.
The Cathedral of St Paul
This late 17th century masterpiece of Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafa lies on the site of a much earlier Norman church destroyed by a violent earthquake in 1693. According to tradition, that church had been built on the site of the house of Publius, the Roman’s chief man on the Islands who was converted to Christianity by St Paul in A.D. 60. It can be seen in two of Matteo Perez d'Aleccio's frescos in the Grand Masters' Palace in Valletta.
The building is one of the finest designs by Lorenzo Gafa. The building is topped by a magnificent dome, which dominates the skyline of Mdina. Inside, the immediate impression is one of grandeur. Though not quite as rich as St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, it is nevertheless reminiscent of that church in the gilded carvings, the ornamental side chapels and the paintings that adorn the vault, apse and chapels. Many of the paintings and carvings illustrate scenes from the life of St Paul; between the main altar and the apse is Preti’s monumental depiction of The Conversion of St Paul. It was part of the original Norman church, and survived the earthquake. A few other items remains from the old church: the 15th century Tuscan panel painting of the Madonna and Child; the font; the frescoes in the apse depicting St Paul’s Shipwreck; and the old portal, made of carved Irish bog wood, which now serves as a door to the vestry.
In addition to Preti, several other Italian artists worked on the Cathedral up to the mid 20th century. The vaulted ceiling was worked on by Sicilian Vincenzo Manno around 100 years after the Cathedral was built.
