The Church of the Circumcision of Our Lord, commonly known as the Jesuits' church, is one of the oldest churches in Valletta, and one of the largest in the Malta. It was originally built between 1593 and 1609 by the Jesuit Order.
St Ignatius of Loyola (1419-1556), founder of the Society of Jesus in 1534, himself had considered founding a College in Malta as early as 1553 at the time of the Diocesan Bishop Domenico Cubelles (1541-1567).
However it was only through through the intervention of Pope Clement XIII (1592-1605) through a Papal Brief dated 28 March 1592, addressed separately to the Bishop and to Grandmaster Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle (1581-1595), Head of the Order of the Knights Hospitaller of St John in Malta, Pope Clement XIII (1592-1605) that a Jesuit College on the island could materialise.
This complex including the main church and two oratories, part of the historical seat of the University of Malta, carries great significance for the architectural and artistic history of Malta, given the mastery of its Baroque architecture, as well as its paintings and furnishings.
The two oratories are both dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Both owe their origin to two confraternities connected to the Jesuits’ College. Dating back to the first half of the 17th century, the Oratory of the Immaculate Conception was built to provide a suitable space for prayer for a confraternity established some time earlier by the Knights of Saint John.
The Congregation of the Onorati was also established under the patronage of the Assumption of the Virgin.[1] The present Oratory of the Onorati was built in the same period, and had already been remodelled and renovated by the second half of the 17th century. Its design has been attributed to the baroque architect Buonamici.[2]
The monumental scale of the baroque oratories provided the space for large paintings to decorate their walls, depicting the ‘Vita della Vergine’, that is significant episodes from the life of the Virgin Mary. As monumentally-sized works of art, the two groups of paintings are among the first such artistic baroque cycles in the history of Maltese art. In seeking the services of the mature Filippino Dingli (d. 1677), Stefano Erardi (1630-1716), and Alessio Erardi (c.1671-1727), the confraternities put Maltese artists on a footing with the continental artists who were usually sought for such projects. The first cycle of paintings was that for the Oratory of the Immaculate Conception, executed c. 1650.
The circumstances leading to the Order’s probable commission of the cycle of paintings for their Oratory of the Immaculate Conception to the mature Filippino Dingli are unknown. However, an analysis of the execution of the greater part of the paintings indicate that Dingli worked with assistants from his bottega. The most prominent of Dingli’s assistants was Stefano Erardi, whose artistic training is attributed to Dingli and in fact there are evident typologies in the works of the former which support such a claim. Thorough analysis reveals different and contrasting competences. For the learned eye, these qualities are easily read. However, the execution, in one instance, gets gradually finer and is much superior in quality to Dingli’s best works. This is significant because it is a possible indication of a young and promising Stefano Erardi taking increasing responsibility for the execution of the commission.[3]
Some years after the completion of the cycle of works at the Oratory of the Immaculate Conception, and when the Onorati were ready from their restructuring programme, Stefano Erardi was appointed to execute the paintings in the Oratory of the Onorati. The titular altarpiece was first to be unveiled and probably the sopra quadro followed in the course. The other six paintings were most probably produced over thirty years by Stefano Erardi and his son Alessio.[4] A unique thread of artistic continuity and innovation can therefore be traced in the paintings of the two oratories, linking the early baroque art of Filippino Dingli, to the high baroque of his pupil Stefano Erardi, through to the late baroque style of Alessio his son. This imparts a greater significance to the art historical value of the two monumental cycles of paintings inside the Oratory of the Immaculate Conception and the Oratory of the Onorati.
The importance of these pictorial cycles for the development of baroque art in Malta cannot be overstated. In addition, the location of the two Oratories at the very heart of Valletta, makes them an important heritage site for visitors who wish to experience the religious and artistic heritage. Their conservation has guaranteed the survival of these works of art and has ensured their enjoyment for present and future generations of visitors to the Jesuit complex.
Rev. Dr Nicholas J. Doublet
Department of Church History – Faculty of Theology
University of Malta
26 September 2023
[1] The main historical details of this report are taken from Paul Cassar, The Oratories of Onorati and the Immaculate Conception at the Jesuit Church, Valletta, A dissertation presented at the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in History of Art at the University of Malta, May 2014.
[2] Ibid. 116.
[3] 134.
[4] 135.
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