Franciscan Church of St Mary of Jesus

The Franciscan Church of St Mary of Jesus is a church in Valletta, Malta, which is dedicated to St Mary of Jesus and is cared for by the religious order of Friars Minor. It came to be popularly known by the Maltese as Ta' Ġieżu. Ta' Ġieżu is a local corruption of Ta' Ġesù (of Jesus).[1]

Church of St Mary of Jesus
Knisja ta' Ġieżu
Façade of the church
Church of St Mary of Jesus
35°53′47″N 14°30′48″E
LocationValletta
CountryMalta
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusActive
Founded1584
DedicationSt Mary of Jesus
Architecture
Functional statusConventual church
Architect(s)Girolamo Cassar
Architectural typeChurch
StyleBaroque and Mannerist
Administration
ArchdioceseMalta
Clergy
ArchbishopCharles Scicluna
RectorJoe Caruana

History

In 1571 the Friars Minor were granted a piece of land in Valletta on which to build a church. Work began shortly afterwards, following the design of Girolamo Cassar. The façade was replaced in 1680 by Mederico Blondel. Numerous grandmasters contributed lavishly towards the embellishment of the church which now hosts various works of art.

Description
Interior of the church

The main attraction is undoubtedly the impressive Miraculous Crucifix (in Maltese: Il-Kurċifiss Mirakuluż),[2] by the Sicilian friar Innocenzo da Petralia Sottana around 1630. It immediately attracted the attention of the people.[3] Accompanying the crucifix is a painting of Our Lady of Sorrows by Stefano Erardi.

The titular painting is the work of the Sicilian artist Antonio Catalano. It is dated 1600 and depicts the Visitation of Our Lady to St Elizabeth.

The first victim of the 1813–14 plague epidemic in Malta, a young girl, was buried inside the church, at the lack of knowledge by everyone of the circumstances of her death.[4]

The church hosts the grave of Blessed Nazju Falzon (1813–1865), a diocesan cleric greatly venerated by the Maltese, who taught Catholic catechism to British sailors stationed in Malta.

The church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[5]

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See also

References
  1. "Thousands visit Ta' Ġieżu crucifix exposed on main altar". Times of Malta. 13 March 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  2. "Miraculous CrUcifix to be restored through BOV's support" (PDF). www.um.edu.mt. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  3. "Of faith and history". Times of Malta.
  4. Bonnici, E. (2015). "Il-flaġell tal-pesta f'Malta fl-1813" (PDF). Għaqda Każin Banda San Filep, A.D. 1851. Ħaż-Żebbuġ: 257–268.
  5. "Church of the Madonna of Jesus" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 27 August 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
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