Monastery of St. Scholastica
The Monastery of St. Scholastica is a monastery in Birgu, Malta. The monastery is dedicated to St Scholastica, but the church is dedicated to St Anne. The church was built in 1679 by Lorenzo Gafà.[1]
History
[edit]The order of Benedictine nuns who occupy the monastery was established in 1496, by Bishop Jaime Valgernera, a devotee of St Scholastica. The monastery was originally located in Mdina. [2] The order was moved to Birgu and a monastery established there in 1604. In 1652 due to the growing size of the order, they requested that the monastery move to larger premises, namely in the Magisterial Palace in Birgu, was granted. It is here that the monastery remains to this day.[3] The monastery is located close to the Holy Infirmary of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, established in 1532.[4]
Thanks to the benefaction of Lady Aloisietta Dorel Pecos, the church attached to the monastery which is dedicated to St Anne was built, with construction beginning in 1679.[2] The building was designed by Lorenzo Gafà, with Bishop Jerónimo de Molina laying the first stone. It was blessed on 14 July 1680, but not consecrated until 29 September 1787. A belfry was added in 1694, and a presbytery in 1748.[3]
During the Second World War the order relocated to Mdina due to heavy bombing. They also relocated to Mdina between 1798 and 1800 due to French rule.[3]
The monastery and church are listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.[5]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "St Anne's church (Santa Scholastica)". Birgu Local Council. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ^ a b "Il-Monasteru". Sorijiet Benedittini, Birgu. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
- ^ a b c "ST SCHOLASTICA CHURCH & MONASTERY, BIRGU – Tales of Kottonera". Retrieved 25 April 2025.
- ^ "Monastery of Saint Scholastica: HMML Repository". hmml.org. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
- ^ "Monastery of Saint Scholastika" (PDF). National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. 27 August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 10, 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
- 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Malta
- Roman Catholic chapels in Malta
- Buildings and structures in Birgu
- Religious buildings and structures completed in 1679
- Roman Catholic churches completed in 1679
- National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
- 1679 establishments in Malta