St Augustine Church, Valletta

Church of St Augustine
The Parish church of Saint Augustine
Il-Knisja ta' Sant' Wistin
Church of St Augustine
35°53′55″N 14°30′39.5″E / 35.89861°N 14.510972°E / 35.89861; 14.510972
Location Valletta
Country Malta
Denomination Roman Catholic
Website Website of the Church
History
Founded May 10,  1571 (1571-05-10)
Dedication St Augustine of Hippo
Consecrated 1 July 1906
Architecture
Status Active
Functional status Parish church
Architect(s) Girolamo Cassar Original church
Giuseppe Bonici Present church
Architectural type Church
Style Baroque
Completed 1794
Administration
Parish Valletta
Archdiocese Malta
Clergy
Archbishop Paul Cremona
Rector Raymond Francalanza

St Augustine Church (Maltese: il-Knisja ta' Santu Wistin) is one of the churches built during the creation of the new city of Valletta, Malta.

Description

The foundation stone was laid in 1571 according to the plan and guidance of Girolamo Cassar, architect of the Knights of St John. The church was rebuilt in 1765 according to a plan of Giuseppe Bonici. It was elevated to a parish church in 1968. St Augustine Hall, adjacent to the church, is part of the original plan of Cassar. The present church was consecrated by Giovanni Maria Camilleri on 1 July 1906.

A number of the artefacts found inside the church are originals from the first church. One of these is an important sixteenth century painting of the Augustinian Nicholas of Tolentino depicted by the famous artist Mattia Preti. This is found in the chapel of the same saint.

In the first chapel to the left, there is a painting of the Augustinian John of Sahagun who was born in Spain in 1430. It is from the school of Preti and some of its figures can be found depicted on the ceiling of St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta. Beneath it there is a small painting of Our Lady of Grace, undated and unsigned, also from the first church.

The church is renowned for the statue of St. Rita. Her feast is celebrated in May with a procession with her statue in the streets of Valletta.

The church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[1]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Church of St. Augustine" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 27 August 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2015.

Coordinates: 35°53′55″N 14°30′39.5″E / 35.89861°N 14.510972°E / 35.89861; 14.510972

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