Hats off to the Mangion Family and all those who helped for the restoration of Tal-Virtu` church.
It is to be known that under the present church there is another one dug in the rocks. It is a paleo-Christian one and there is an altar where the Divine Mysteries were celebrated. Pews made from rock encircled the chapel together with frescoes adorning the walls. Spiral stairs lead down and two channels for light were added. Two large pillars cut from the rock were erected. The first chapel over the paleo-christian one was built in the 15th century. It is of the same era as Hal Millieri and has the same architecture. That chapel served till the earthquake of 1693.
The present rotunda was built by Petruzzo Debono. The altar-piece was painted by Vincenzo Baiata in 1610 (Pastoral Visit 1615). Baiata was a follower of Paladini(1544-1615). It is now conserved at Wignacourt Museum, Rabat. Lately, a copy of it was given by the Wignacourt Museum.
It was an old Marian sanctuary of our Island. The feast of Our Lady Tal-Virtu` used to be celebrated on the fourth Sunday after Easter. A general procession used to be held from the Cathedral of Mdina to Tal-Virtu`. Besides the Cathedral Chapter, the religious Communities of Rabat participated. The Archpriest of the Cathedral in that occasion used to bless the fields to have good harvests.
The Austin Friars’ presence
In the middle of the 17th century, rumours that the Arabs were coming again to attack Malta began to circle. Grand Master De Redin was thinking of enlarging the city walls of Mdina. The Congregazione della Guerra thought that the walls of Mdina must pass through St Mark’s complex.
The Prior of St Mark, Fr Prosper Cacciatori held a conventual chapter during which it was decided to write to the Bishop Mgr Fra Michael Balaguer to permite them to build a church and a monastery a mile away from the City of Mdina. They wrote to Pope Alexander VII who knew well the situation.
Pope Alexander VII sent an Apostolic Brief dated 16 September,1658 from St Mary the Major, Rome, to the Bishop of Malta Mgr Balaguer to cede the church of Our Lady of Virtu` in the suburb of Mdina with all privileges and obligations to the Austin Friars.
On 4 December 1659, the church of Our Lady Tal-Virtu` was handed over to the Austin Friars according to the Pontifical Brief forever.
Ceremony of possession
On 7 December, 1659, Giuliano Felici, Notary of the Curia, was present during the ceremony of handling over the church. The ceremony consisted by the presentation of the church’s keys. Then, they kissed the altar; pealed the bell; opened and closed the door. Finally, they took an oath in which they obliged themselves to observe all obligations. Witnesses were Joseph Borg and Petro Zahra.
On 6 February, 1660, Grand Master Martin De Redin died and the thought of demolishing St Mark’s complex by building the city wall was interred with his bones. It is not known how long the Austin Friars lived at Tal-Virtu`.
Fr Mark Cauchi OSA
St Augustine’s Priory Valletta