Among the many treasures within St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, one monument stands out for both its artistry and its historical significance; that of Grand Master Frà Philippe Villiers de L’Isle Adam, the man who led the Order of St John to Malta in 1530.

Although today his remains rest in the Grand Masters’ Crypt beneath the cathedral, this was not always the case. When the Grand Master died in 1534, he was initially buried in the Chapel of St Anne at Fort St Angelo, the Order’s first stronghold on the islands. It was only after the construction of St John’s Co-Cathedral that his body was transferred to its present resting place, joining the other leaders of the Order.

The monument itself is both solemn and striking. At its base lies a stone sarcophagus, prominently displaying the coat of arms of L’Isle Adam. Above it rises the most distinctive feature: a full-length sculpted figure of the Grand Master, carved in gleaming white marble. The statue’s lifelike presence immediately draws the viewer’s gaze, offering a lasting tribute to one of the most important figures in Maltese history.

Through this monument, visitors are reminded not only of L’Isle Adam’s pivotal role in establishing the Order in Malta but also of the legacy he left behind; a legacy immortalised in stone and marble within one of Malta’s greatest artistic and historical landmarks.

Have you ever been inside St John’s Co-Cathedral in Malta?