Comments on: Malta Trip Photos: Second Installment

By: Milan

Milan — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 23:17:46 +0000

David,

Thanks a lot for the information.

By: Rev David Smith

Rev David Smith — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 23:10:25 +0000

Saint John’s is a “co-cathedral” because the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta has two cathedrals - the Archbishop has a throne (or “cathedra”, as I’m sure you know) in both Saint John’s, Valletta and Saint Paul’s, Mdina. Perhaps he chooses which cathedra to sit upon according to whether he fancies a cappucino at the Cordina, or a Cisk at the Fontanella?
Examples of co-cathedrals could once be found in the English diocese of Bath & Wells and Coventry & Lichfield. In the former case, Wells is now the cathedral; the latter has now been separated into two separate diocese.

On the other hand, Saint Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Valletta is called a “pro-cathedral”. In Anglican terms, Malta is part of the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe, so the bishop’s throne is at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Gibraltar. However, the diocese covers the whole of Europe, the Mediterranean and the Russias (one-sixth of the Earth’s land mass!), so the Bishop goes to the country concerned for confirmations and ordinations. In effect, Saint Paul’s, Valletta is a parish church that the bishop uses when he visits the island.

This is more information than you needed.

David

By: Milan

Milan — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 20:01:00 +0000

The collection of my best photos from Malta are in this album.

Annotated versions are also coming up, in this presentation.

By: Meghan Mathieson

Meghan Mathieson — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 07:42:00 +0000

Here is my best guess as to the medieval Latin on the tombstone.

Deo excertiuum Fr. Io-nnes Franciscus de Ricasolis perceptor comendar
sacrum magni de gradulo sacrum io de bettona et sacrum sepulchri de
florentia hoc tumulum vivens posuit. AD MDCLXII.

The flocks of God have taken possession of Fr. John Francis of
Ricasolis, consuming his position of great holiness. The sacred
exclamations are thunderous and a sacred grave of flowers he has
placed this living tomb. In the year of our Lord 1662.

You can post it on your blog if you want.

By: Not Tony

Not Tony — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 18:47:00 +0000

Re: Co-Cathedral of St. John

The name, Co-Cathedral, refers to its later, dual role. In the 1820s, the Bishop of Malta, whose seat was at Mdina, was allowed to use St John’s as an alternative see, hence the name Co-Cathedral.

By: B

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 07:59:00 +0000

Can anyone translate the Latin on that spooky slab?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 02:58:00 +0000

The photos at Photo.net are also available in a presentation, with captions.