Lecture series explores art, memory and identity at St John’s Co-Cathedral
The first lecture on Thursday will explore the tombstone slabs and monuments forming the building's marble floor
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) is hosting a series of events exploring the artistic, cultural and symbolic richness of St John’s Co-Cathedral.
Delivered by Dane Munro, visiting senior lecturer at the University of Malta and the University of Primorska, the series examines the legacy of the Knights of the Order of St John through the unique setting of their conventual church.
The first lecture introduces the glorious tombstone slabs that form the Co-Cathedral’s marble floor. Described “the most extraordinary floor in Europe”, this intricate surface is composed of richly decorated marble-inlay tombstones commemorating Knights buried there.
The session explores how these works were designed and created, while also uncovering their deeper meanings. Munro will give participants insight into how to interpret stories of identity, status and belief through symbols, artistic styles and historical context, while also setting Malta’s sepulchral art within a wider European tradition.
The lecture also addresses the reorganisation of the slabs during the British period, a change that continues to shape how visitors experience the space today.
The second lecture takes a wider view, interpreting the contribution of the Co-Cathedral’s gravestones and monuments in building the concept of memoria within the Order. Using the Co-Cathedral as a lens, it examines how the Knights understood themselves, their values and their legacy. It explores themes of life and death, joy and sorrow, and how individuals wished to be remembered after their death.
Drawing on from Munro’s lifelong research, including his opus, Memoria as Mirror, the session highlights how memory, identity and legacy are expressed through the artistic and cultural fabric of St John’s.
The lectures will be held at Casa Manresa on Thursday, May 14, and on May 28, with a drinks reception at 6pm followed by the lecture at 6.30pm.
Tickets for both events can be booked here.
The lectures will be followed by a guided tour revealing secrets of the Co-Cathedral (date to be confirmed, due to the elections).