Noel Muscat, OFM, details how the Franciscan Friars Minor received a plot of land in Valletta on May 18, 1571 on which they built the Santa Maria di Gesù church, better known as Ta’ Ġieżu

The crucifix during restoration works led by Fr Charles Vella in 2019.

On May 18, 1571, the Franciscan Friars Minor, at the time known as the Friars Minor of the Regular Observance, received a plot of land from Grand Master Pietro Del Monte close to Porta del Monte (today’s Victoria Gate), in Valletta, on which they were to build their second church and friary in Malta after the church and friary of Santa Maria di Gesù, in Rabat, where they settled in 1500 after lengthy preparations going back to 1482.

All Mendicant Orders of religious received plots of land in Valletta on which to build their respective conventual churches and friaries. The Franciscans had presented their request to Grand Master Del Monte some time before April 19, 1571. On that same day, the Grand Master accepted their request and published the decree by which he donated to them, free of charge like he did to all other religious, a plot of land in the area between Via Del Monte (St John Street), Via San Pietro (St Ursula Street) and Via Santa Maria della Vittoria (St Lucia Street).

Foundation stone laid four years later

A view of the ceiling and choir.

The contract was drawn up on May 18, 1571, in front of notary Placido Abela. Present at the drawing up of the contract were, on the part of the Commissaries entrusted by the Grand Master and Council, the knights Fra Raimondo Fortuyn and Fra Giorgio Cacherano and Maltese engineer and architect Girolamo Cassar, who was to be the architect of the new church.

On the part of the Franciscan religious community who came from Rabat, the contract mentions Fra Nicola di Calabria as Vicar of the Sicilian Provincial, Fra Baptista di Malta, Fra Michele di Malta, Fra Domenico di Malta, Fra  Benedetto di Malta, Fra Antonio di Tapani and Fra Salvo di Malta (Archives Franciscan Friars, Valletta, Atti Originali, VII, docs. 3 and 4).

The church is especially known for its ‘miraculous’ crucifix.

Although the contract was finalised on May 18, 1571, the actual official laying of the foundation stone took place four years later, on September 21, 1575, even though the building must have already been progressing. That is why the year 1575 is normally indicated as the year of the building of the Ta’ Ġieżu church.

The title given by the common people to the church and friary, namely ‘Ta’ Ġieżu’, already existed in the case of the older Rabat church and friary, dedicated to Santa Maria di Gesù (abbreviated to di Giesu in Sicilian), a title common to many of the churches of the Franciscan Observants in Sicily.

This initial date in the long history of this popular church, known especially for the crucifix by Fra Innocenzo da Petralia Sottana and for the devotion to the Addolorata (Duluri), is commemorated within the context of the plans for restoration on the church and the friary, which are among the architectural gems of Valletta.

This historical information is taken from the late P. Ġorġ Aquilina, OFM, Il-Franġiskani Maltin (Ta’ Ġieżu) 1482c-1965c, Malta 2011, pp. 307-311)