The Archbishop’s Curia in Floriana will be open to the public on July 20 and 21 for the feast of St Calcedonius.
The public is being invited to visit the Curia premises, previously known as Casa Manresa, and the restoration works currently in progress.
They will be able to admire its Baroque architecture and several works of art that are located in the refectory hall, in the corridors, sacristy and in the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Manresa, where the relics of St Calcidonius are venerated.
Guided tours will include talks on the history of the Archbishop’s Curia, the paintings that are being restored, and the pastoral and administrative work of the Archdiocese of Malta.
Concerts will be held in the central courtyard, while in the sacristy 16th century documents from the Diocesan Archives will be on display in an exhibition called ‘Fragments of Faith’.
On the first floor, 15 paintings by the artist Joseph Calleja will be on show in an exhibition called ‘Sacrifice of the Lambs’.
Visitors will also be able to participate in a treasure hunt based on the history, the building, and the paintings in the Curia.
Originally known as Casa della Madonna di Manresa, the Archbishop’s Curia is an integral part of the ecclesiastical and social history of Malta.
It was built by the Jesuits in the 18th century to serve as a retreat house and continued to be used by the Jesuits for seventeen years.
When the Jesuits returned to Malta in 1860, Casa Manresa was the provincial curia of the Province of Sicily for seven years. The Order eventally stopped occupying the building in 1918.
From 1858-1910 and from 1921-1977, the building served as the seminary of the diocese. It is now occupied by the Archbishop’s Curia as its central adminstration.
Casa Manresa will be open to the public on Saturday, 20 July 2019 between 5pm-9pm, and on Sunday 21 July 2019 between 9am-1pm.
Mass will be celebrated on Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 10am in the Chapel of Our Lady of Manresa. The programme of the Open Weekend, listing the activities on the hour, will be available online on the website www.church.mt. Entrance is free. Donations towards the The Arcbishop’s Charity Fund will be welcomed.