Take a look inside Valletta's Anglican church, an iconic feature in the capital's skyline, which Queen Adelaide laid the foundation stone for in 1839.
While the you'll find over 300 (yes, that many) churches and chaples dedicated to the Roman Catholic church in Malta, St Paul's Anglican Pro-Cathedral in Valletta, Holy Trinity Church in Sliema and the congregation of Our Lady and St George in Victoria Gozo are Anglicanism's expression in the Maltese archipelago. These are all part of the Diocese in Europe, which is the most recently created of the 44 dioceses of the Church of England.
Christianity has almost 2,000 years of history in Malta and was brought to the islands by Apostle Paul himself in around 60 AD. The apostle was being taken to Rome to be tried as a political rebel, but the ship carrying him and over 270 others was caught in a violent storm, to be wrecked two weeks later on the Maltese coast. All aboard swam safely to land, and Christianity began to spread on the island.
Built in the Neo-Classical style, the spire of St Paul's Anglican Pro-Cathedral is a Valletta landmark, rising to over 60 metres and forming part of the capital's iconic skyline.
The severe interior, with its pillars and fluted engaged pilasters topped by Corinthian capitals supporting a cornice, were designed to be in architectural harmony with Malta.
On the site where the Auberge d’Allemagne (the conventual home of the German Knights Hospitallier) had stood, Queen Adelaide laid the foundation stone of the cathedral in 1839. The original building proved unstable, and work began again in 1841 under new designs by William Scamp, who had been employed for some years as Clerk of Works to Sir James Wyattville remodelling Windsor Castle.
Solidly constructed from the former basement of the Auberge d’Allemagne as the new foundation of the building, the Undercroft was opened on Easter Day 1928 as a church hall. In 1938, the Undercroft acted as a gas proof air raid shelter, and in the early days of the war, was used by the chaplain, his wife and scores of Maltese citizens.
After the bombings in WWII, the glass windows had to be replaced, as well as a number of other repairs. At this time, the west end was transformed into a choir by building a new stone screen across the nave. The screen incorporated a stone pulpit and lectern, now in wood, and presented as a memorial to Sir Winston Churchill.
Despite the heavy bombing of Valletta during the war and the vulnerable position of the Cathedral, it escaped serious damage during the air raids of 1941-42.
In recent years, ongoing renovations are carried out almost annually, ensuring that the Cathedral is kept in a state of its full glorious potential.
Save Valletta's skyline
Recent expert architectural inspections have identified severe problems threatening the tower, the spire and the external and internal stonework of St Paul's Pro-Cathedral. With parts of the structure now officially described as unstable, the cathedral's restoration appeal entitled Save Valletta's Skyline is currently raising funds to help restore this spire.
This July, save the date for the Valletta Skyline Ball, a sparkling reception and three-course dinner to be held at Palazzo Parisio in aid of St Paul's Anglican Cathedral Restoration Appeal.
Don't miss: Brahms' Requiem by the Islington Choral Society
Sarah Dowling - Islington Choral Society
Tonight, 5th May, St Paul's Anglican Pro-Cathedral will house Brahms' Requiem by the Islington Choral Society. One of London’s foremost choirs will be making their debut in Malta to sing Johann Brahms’ majestic Requiem (Ein Deutsches Requiem). The Islington Choral Society will be joined by soprano Jenny Stafford, baritone Alistair Ollerenshaw and pianists Laurence Williams and Cameron Richardson-Eames for a performance conducted by the choir’s musical director Michael Waldron.
The composition that established Brahms, Requiem offers the human message of compassion and consolation for the bereaved. This concert presents the version that Brahms arranged for chorus, soloists and two pianos.
Admission to this performance is free of charge.