St Augustine Church, Valletta
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (November 2022) |
| Parish Church of St Augustine | ||
|---|---|---|
Il-Knisja ta' Sant' Wistin | ||
Style Baroque | | |
| Completed | 1794 | |
| Specifications | ||
| Materials | Limestone | |
| Administration | ||
| Archdiocese | Malta | |
| Parish | Valletta | |
| Clergy | ||
| Rector | Deo Debono | |
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
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
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
- Catholicism portal
History portal
Malta portal
- Culture of Malta
- History of Malta
- List of Churches in Malta
- Religion in Malta
References
- ^ "Church of St. Augustine" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 27 August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
