An old reliquary that was made to house the relic of the right hand of St John the Baptist, which used to belong to the Knights of St John, is returning to the St John’s Co-Cathedral Oratory for a limited time.

“For the first time in years, the Reliquary of the Hand of St John the Baptist by the renowned Ciro Ferri has returned to the Oratory,” the Cathedral said.

“Its splendour and grandeur reflect a refined work of art, making it truly one of a kind and best appreciated up close.”

“Be part of history and take this rare opportunity to experience it within the Oratory for a period of time - the very place it was originally intended to call home.”

The gilded reliquary, crafted by the renowned Baroque sculptor Ciro Ferri, was an extremely previous relic for the Knights, as it contained what they believed to be the hand that baptised Jesus in the River Jordan.

The relic was originally housed at St John’s Co-Cathedral but it was taken away from Malta, along with other famous relics, after the island was captured by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798.

The hand relic is now located in the Cetinje Monastery in Montenegro, while the reliquary is set to be exhibited in a new St John’s Co-Cathedral museum.