The Church of the Flight into Egypt (Maltese: Il-kappella tal-Ħarba lejn l-Eġittu) is a Roman Catholic church located at the Valletta Waterfront in Floriana, Malta. The church was built in the 18th-century on the baroque design of Andrea Belli for spiritual service of the workers at the Pinto Stores. The church was hit by aerial bombardment in World War II in 1941 and it was then restored in 1989 but it remained unconsecrated. It was opened for church service again in 2006 together with the Valletta Waterfront. The current rector is Paul Attard. [1]
The church is the only one in the country dedicated to the Flight into Egypt. The chapel was built during the reign of Grand Master Manuel Pinto da Fonseca in the 1750s. It was used by departing and arriving sailors. [2] The design for the baroque church is attributed to architect Andrea Belli. [3] Even though the church is small, the architect made sure to include all characteristics that a bigger church would have such as two bell towers and cupola. An inscription above the door reads:
Aeterna Patris Figlio Matri Semper Vergini, Nec Non Putativo Patris In Aegypto Tutatis in Humilimae Servitutis Titulum. MDCCLII
The inscription includes a Roman number 1752, the year the church was dedicated. Above the inscription there is the coat of arms of Grand Master Pinto adorned by an imperial crown. The church which was extensively damaged during an air raid on 16 January 1941, but it was restored in 1989. [4] The chapel was inaugurated on July 28, 2006 as part of the Valletta Waterfront project. [5]
The titular painting above the high altar depicts the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. The painting depicts the Virgin Mary, with baby Jesus in her hands, resting under the shade of a palm tree, while on their way to Egypt. Saint Joseph is portrayed pulling his donkey to have some shade while some angels are shown looking over the Holy Family. The interior walls are richly decorated with sculptures, making the church a rich example of baroque architecture. [6]
Pietà is a small harbour town in the Eastern Region of Malta, located near the outskirts of the capital city Valletta.
Siġġiewi, also called by its title Città Ferdinand, is a city and a local council in the Southern Region of Malta. It is the third largest council in Malta by surface area, after Rabat and Mellieħa. Siġġiewi is situated on a plateau a few kilometers away from Mdina and 10 kilometres away from Valletta, the contemporary capital.
The Valletta Waterfront, is a promenade in Floriana, Malta, mainly featuring three prominent buildings: a church in the middle, the Pinto Stores or the Pinto Wharf on the left, and the Forni Stores or the Forni Shopping Complex on the right. The buildings were originally stores and warehouses, built in the 18th century, and the design is attributed to Andrea Belli.
The Auberge de Castille, historically in full known as the Auberge de Castille et Portugal, is an auberge in Valletta, Malta. The auberge is located at Castile Place, close to Saint James Cavalier, the Malta Stock Exchange, and the Upper Barrakka Gardens. It sits at the highest point of Valletta and overlooks Floriana and the Grand Harbour area.
The Auberge d'Italie is an auberge in Valletta, Malta. It was built in various stages in the late 16th century to house knights of the Order of Saint John from the langue of Italy, and it originally had a Mannerist design by Girolamo Cassar and several other architects. The building continued to be modified throughout the course of the 17th century, with the last major renovation being carried out in the 1680s during the magistracy of Gregorio Carafa, giving the building a Baroque character.
The Nibbia Chapel was a Roman Catholic chapel in Valletta, Malta, which was dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy. It was originally built in 1619 by Fra Giorgio Nibbia, a knight of the Order of St. John, and it was located near a cemetery where deceased patients from the nearby Sacra Infermeria were buried.
Lorenzo D'Astiria was a Spanish Roman Catholic bishop of Malta in the 17th century.
Palazzo Parisio, sometimes known as Casa Parisio, is a palace in Valletta, Malta. It was built in the 1740s by Domenico Sceberras, and eventually passed into the hands of the Muscati and Parisio Muscati families. It was Napoleon's residence for six days in June 1798, during the early days of the French occupation of Malta. The palace was eventually acquired by the de Piro family, and was later purchased by the Government of Malta. It was used as the General Post Office from 1886 to 1973, then the Ministry for Agriculture, and it now houses the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Santa Margerita Chapel, also known as Arar Chapel, is a 16th century chapel in San Gwann, Malta. The chapel was built for the farmers working the surrounding fields. At the time, attacks from the sea were common.
Saint Mary Magdalene Chapel is a Roman Catholic chapel in the limits of Dingli, Malta, dedicated to Mary Magdalene. It overlooks the Dingli Cliffs, and is therefore commonly known as il-kappella tal-irdum. The chapel was built in 1646 on the site of an earlier one which had existed since at least the 15th century. Its simple architecture is typical of Maltese wayside chapels.
The Chapel of St Michael more popularly known in Maltese as Il-Kappella tas-San Ċir or Il-Kappella ta' San Mikiel is-Sanċir is a medieval chapel located in the limits of Rabat, Malta in an area referred to as Ġnien is-Sultan.
The Chapel of the Return of the Holy Family from Egypt or the Chapel of the Return from Egypt or simply St Mary's Chapel is a Roman Catholic church located on the small island of Comino in Malta.
The Chapel of St Agatha is a small Roman Catholic church located in Mdina, the former capital city of Malta from antiquity to the medieval period.
The Chapel of St Bartholomew is a Baroque Roman Catholic chapel located in Żurrieq, Malta.
The Chapel of St Anne is a small Roman Catholic church located in the village of Qrendi, Malta.
The Chapel of Our Lady of Damascus also known in Maltese as Tal-Griegi is a former Greek Catholic church located in the town of Birgu, Malta. Nowadays it is part of the Oratory of St Joseph.
The Chapel of Saint Nicholas, sometimes known as Tas-Subriċint, is a Roman Catholic chapel located in the Żonqor area between Marsaskala and Żabbar, Malta. A previous chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas was located in the area from at least the early 16th century, but it was deconsecrated in the 17th century. The present building was constructed between 1759 and 1762 in the Baroque style. Today, the chapel is located within the limits of Marsaskala, but it is administered by the parish of Żabbar.
St Catherine's Chapel officially the Church of St Catherine and St Peter is an 18th-century Roman Catholic church located in Mqabba, Malta.
The Chapel of St Lucy is a Roman Catholic 16th century chapel located in the outskirts of the village of Għaxaq in Malta. In Maltese, the chapel is known as Santa Luċija tal-Barrani.
The Chapel of St Anne is a Roman Catholic chapel in Fort St Angelo in Birgu, Malta. Its existence was first documented in the 13th century, and according to tradition it stands on the site of an ancient temple. The present building was constructed around 1430 and it was enlarged in 1532 by the Order of St John. The building ceased to function as a chapel in 1798, and it was used as a store, as a school and as a Church of England chapel before being converted back to a Catholic chapel in the mid-20th century. It has been restored and it is now managed by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.