This is one of the chapels that complement the St John’s Cathedral in Valletta. It may not be the most beautifully adorned of all the chapels that surround the main nave but it was the most important for the Knights of St John and is now the adoration chapel of the cathedral. People are allowed in there for prayers only. So I was taking this shot from outside when this lady walked in (I’m not convinced the went in there to pray).
The chapel used to house the image of Our Lady of Philermos, a much venerated Byzintine icon which dates from the 14th century and was brought to Malta with the Order in 1530. The miraculous icon was greatly devoted especially before various battles that the Knights of St John fought. The Knights used to congregate and ask for the intercession if Our Lady of Philermos. When the Knights returned victorious the keys of the defeated castles would be presented to the Chapel. The keys of the castles of Lepanto, Hammamet, Passava and Patras still hang on it’s walls. When Napoleone Bonaparte, in 1798, expelled the Order of St John’s from Malta, Grand Master Ferdinand Hompesch took the image with him. Today, a 17th century copy of Our Lady of Lanciano (Matera), better known as Our Lady of Caraffa (the altar piece in a silver frame), adorns the Chapel of Our Lady of Philermos.
I will be away from home for some days but will do my best to keep contact.
Many thanks for your views, comments, and FAV’s. They are very much appreciated.
Impressive in so many ways. You take us to so many beautiful places and provide priceless details to explain the significance of what we;re looking at. Finally there's you skill at capturing these incredible places.
Awesome that humans have made this. It`s a lot of different of most of our churches. https://365project.org/pyrrhula/365/2013-05-18
Much is destroyed during the reformation and the iconoclasm
It has a very interesting history. Did the original painting eventually become lost or get destroyed since they never returned it to the Chapel? Good shot- I guess the lady didn't realize you took her picture!
Much is destroyed during the reformation and the iconoclasm