St Augustine Church ( mt, il-Knisja ta' Santu Wistin) is one of the churches built during the creation of the new city of

Valletta Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and capital city, capital of Malta. Located on the Malta (island), main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, i ...

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

Description

The foundation stone was laid in 1571 according to the plan and guidance of

Girolamo Cassar Girolamo Cassar ( mt, Ġlormu Cassar, 1520 – 1592) was a Maltese architect and military engineer. He was the resident engineer of the Order of St. John, and was admitted into the Order in 1569. He was involved in the construction of Valletta ...

, architect of the

Knights of St John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headqu ...

. The church was rebuilt in 1765 according to a plan of

Giuseppe Bonici Giuseppe Bonici (1707–1779) was a Maltese architect and military engineer. He held the post of ''Capomastro delle Opere della Religione'' and was the principal architect of the Order of St. John from 1761 until his death. He designed several ...

. It was elevated to a parish church in 1968.

St Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Afr ...

Hall, adjacent to the church, is part of the original plan of Cassar. The present church was consecrated by

Giovanni Maria Camilleri Giovanni Maria Camilleri (15 March 1843 – 7 November 1924) was a Maltese prelate who became the fourth bishop of Gozo. Life Camilleri was born in Valletta, Malta on March 15, 1843. At the age of 24 he was ordained priest of the Order of St ...

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 Nicholas of Tolentino ( la, S. Nicolaus de Tolentino, (c. 1246September 10, 1305), known as the ''Patron of Holy Souls'', was an Italian saint and mystic. He is particularly invoked as an advocate for the souls in Purgatory, especially during ...

depicted by the famous artist

Mattia Preti Mattia Preti (24 February 1613 – 3 January 1699) was an Italian Baroque artist who worked in Italy and Malta. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Saint John. Life Born in the small town of Taverna in Calabria, Preti was called ''Il Cava ...

. This is found in the chapel of the same saint. In the first chapel to the left, there is a painting of the

Augustinian Augustinian may refer to: *Augustinians, members of religious orders following the Rule of St Augustine *Augustinianism, the teachings of Augustine of Hippo and his intellectual heirs *Someone who follows Augustine of Hippo * Canons Regular of Sain ...

John of Sahagun John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

who was born in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

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 St John's Co-Cathedral ( mt, Kon-Katidral ta' San Ġwann) is a Roman Catholic co-cathedral in Valletta, Malta, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. It was built by the Order of St. John between 1573 and 1578, having been commissioned by Grand Ma ...

in Valletta. Beneath it there is a small painting of

Our Lady of Grace Our Lady of Grace is a Titles of Mary, Title of Mary. The feast day associated with this title is February 7. The title of Our Lady of Grace is venerated in many countries throughout the world under various aspects. Many parishes, churches, and sch ...

, undated and unsigned, also from the first church. The church is renowned for the statue of

St. Rita Rita of Cascia, born Margherita Lotti (1381 – 22 May 1457), was an Italians, Italian widow and Augustinian nuns, Augustinian nun venerated as a List of Catholic saints, saint in the Roman Catholic Church. After Rita's husband died, she joine ...

. 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 The National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands (NICPMI) is a heritage register listing the cultural property of Malta. The inventory includes properties such as archaeological sites, fortifications, religious buildings, mon ...

References

External links

''Website of the church''''MEPA''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Augustin Church, Valletta Religious organizations established in the 1570s 1571 establishments in Malta Buildings and structures in Valletta National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands Augustinian churches in Malta Roman Catholic churches completed in 1794 18th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Malta

Description

See also

References

External links