Malta Study
Center
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Mdina Cathedral Museum Microfilm Project
Section: Religious Orders
Ordines Religiosi
Abbreviation: O.R.
This section contains the archives of convents and monasteries under the jurisdiction
of the diocese of Malta, exclusive of the Order of St. John. The manuscripts range
in date from the 13th century until 1911, and consist of codices, account books, and other
ecclesiastical records. The materials are owned by the religious orders and
housed separately from the archives of the Cathedral Museum.
Index of the Religious Orders
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Augustinian Priory, Valletta (O.S.A.)
The Augustinian Priory was built in 1571 according to the
designs of Gerolamo Cassar; the present church was built in the 18th century
according to the designs of Domenico Cachia. The library suffered severe damage
during World War II bomb attacks and lost some of its older manuscripts.
HMML filmed the priory's music collection. In addition to a collection of music scores by three Maltese
Augustinian composers, this priory currently holds the complete works of Mro. Paolino
Vassallo, former Choir Master of Mdina Cathedral, under the care of Mro. Fr. Albert Borg
O.S.A.
Address: Kunvent Santu Wistin
Triq l-Ifran
Valletta VLT 09
Malta
Music scores of the Augustinian Priory:
Mro. Paolino Vassallo Hymns (Malta Series I, 3613)
Mro. Paolino Vassallo Vespers (Malta Series I, 3645)
Mro. Paolino Vassallo Antiphons (Malta Series I, 3647)
Four composers on one reel: (Malta Series I, 3546)
(a) Mro. Fr. Anastasi O.S.A. Hymns and Liturgy for the
Dead
(b) Mro. Fr. Anastasi O.S.A. Oratorio 'La Morte di S.
Agostino' (1930)
(c) Mro. Fr. Spiteri Fremord O.S.A. Oratorio 'Sancte
Pater Augustine' (1853)
(d) Mro. Fr. Albert Borg O.S.A. Oratorio 'Joannes'
(1979)
Note: These films are not available for reproduction, but may be consulted on
site.
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Carmelites, Mdina (A.C.C. Notabilis)
The Carmelites, a male religious order, established themselves in the Annunciation Priory
in the district of Santo Leonardo, near Rabat, by 1596. They moved to the church of Santa
Maria della Rocca in Mdina in 1639. Their records are housed in Mdina.
Archives of the Carmelites, Mdina (772 mss)
- Libro dell'esito del convento (7 mss) 1596-1843
Expenditures of the community, including building operations and moving expenses to
Notabile. No accounts were kept between 28 July 1798 and 28 April 1799, following an
attempt made by the French Revolutionary Government to suppress the Carmelite priory at
Mdina.
- Libro dell'esito della fabrica (3 mss) 1660-1760
The building accounts include the costs of dismantling, rebuilding, and renovating the
church and the convent.
- Introitus fabrica (3 mss) 1660-1860
Chronological entries of receipts, rent-payments, and legacies made for the erection of
the church and friary of the Carmelites in Mdina.
- Giuliana 1596 (1 ms) 1596-1667
Records the income of the Carmelite convent of the Annunciation, Rabat. Contains gaps
and missing entries.
- Libro dell'introito (12 mss) 1607-1900
The official accounts of all income received by the Carmelite Priory in Mdina. It also
includes documents regarding the suppressed Carmelite convent in Citta' Vittoriosa in 1652
and a list of the immoveable property of the Carmelite Convent at Mdina.
- Music Scores (746 manuscripts, plus a printed collection.)
Antonio Nani: Printed Works. A collection of twelve printed works.
86 pages. Items are unnumbered, but the volume as bound was later enumerated
in ink. Numbers 1-10, 12, were printed in Malta by G. Brocktorff; Number 11 was
printed in London by T. Copley. Bound. Dedicated by the author, with gold lettering
on the front cover: "Al Molto Rev.do Padre Maestro Giovanni Carmello Borg l'autore
offre." First unnumbered sheet has lithograph of Antonio Nani. Title
pages of items 1, 3, 4, 10, and 11 are printed in color. (Malta Series
I, 7782)
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Congregation of St. Philip Neri, Senglea (115 mss) 1634-1857
Biblioteca Congregationis Oratorii Sengleani
The Congregation, or Oratorians, of St. Philip Neri was a male religious house that was
orignally established in the church of Our Lady of the Angels, Vittoriosa, in 1652. They
transferred to the church of Our Lady of Porto Salvo, Senglea, in 1662. Their archives
contain ecclesiastical and administrative records. This Congregation is no longer extant
and many manuscripts have been transferred to the Parish Church of Senglea.
Archives of the Congregation:
Historical manuscripts (15 mss) on the life and liturgical activity of
the congregation. Also includes treatises on philosophy and surgery.
Malta Series I, 5119-5133
Music scores (100 mss) and 18 printed works.
Malta Series I, 8068-8073
Bibliography: Arthur Bonnici, History of the Church in Malta 2 vols (Valetta,
Malta, 1967) 2:44.
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Dominican Priory, Rabat (A.D.R.)
The Dominicans, a male mendicant preaching order, came to Malta in the middle of the
15th century and built a house in Rabat in 1466. The bishop endowed this house and the
Dominicans built another house in Borgo in 1518. The archives contain administrative and
ecclesiastical records.
Address: Dominican Fathers
St. Dominic's Priory
Rabat RBT 06
Malta
Archives of the Dominicans, Rabat (Arkivju Dumnikani)
Range: 1435-1783
- Manuscripts (24 mss), including:
- Giuliana Antica (1466- )
- Frammenti (1435- )
- Descrittione delli Conventi
- Various accounts of administration
- Music scores (7 projects) by E. Bartoli, A. Bonello O.P., G. Caruana, J. Casapinta, V.
Ciappara, L. Gatt, P. Nani, and V. Vugeja.
- Printed Works: (5 volumes)
- Sanchez, Thomas, S.J., Disputationes de Sancto Matrimonii Sacramento, 3 vols
(Brixiae, 1704)
- Salelles, Sebastianus S. J., In Materiis Tribunalium S. inquisitionis seu de regulis
multiplicibus pro formando quovis eorum Ministro, Praesertim Consultore praemissis XII
prolegomenis de origine et progressu dictorum tribunalium
- Tomus 1 (Liber 1 et 2), Romae MDCLI
- Tomus 2 (Liber 3 et 4), Romae MDCLIII
- N.B. Tomus 3 (Liber 5 et 6), Romae MDCLI had been filmed from another collection
as HMML Project No. 1.
Bibliography: Arthur Bonnici, History of the Church in Malta 2 vols (Valetta,
Malta, 1967) 1:103-104.
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Dominican Priory, Valletta
The Dominicans of Vittoriosa began
construction of a new church in Valletta, designed by Girolamo Cassar, in 1571.
This became the parish of Porto Salvo. The original church building was damaged
by earthquakes and rebuilt in the 19th century according to the plans of Anton
Cachia.
Address: Priory of St. Mary of Porto Salvo
Dominican Fathers
Valletta VLT 02
MALTA
One manuscript.
Bible, XIII Century, Greek; ff. 278; mm. 180x135
Traditionally belonging to Fr. Dominicus, formerly Osmanus Ottomanus (1640-1676), son
of the Turkish Sultan Ibraim.
(Malta Series I, 2945)
- Franciscan houses:
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Conventual Franciscans, Birkirkara
One printed work
CAGLIOLA PHILIPPUS, Almæ Siciliensis Provinciæ Ordinis Minorum Conventualium
S. Francisci. Manifestationes Novissimæ, sex explorationibus complexæ. Quibus Seraphici
Conventualis Ordinis in hoc Siculo Regno Exordia, Progressus, Sigillum, Coenobiorum
Origines, Provinciales & Comitia præstantur. Etc. … A Patre Magistro Philippo
Cagliola A Melita eiusdem Ordinis ac Provinciæ Alumno. Venetiis, ex typographia Petri
Turini. MDCXLIV. Superiorum permissu.; pp. VIII, 195; v (index); mm. 200x143.
(Malta Series I, 146)
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Franciscan Conventuals, Rabat (O.F.M. Conv.)
The Conventual Franciscans, a male, mendicant order, settled in Rabat sometime before
1370. They built a convent in Valletta in 1598.
Archives of the Franciscan Conventuals, Rabat, Malta
- Attuario, 5 vols, 1685-1756. HMML Project numbers 3654, 3655, 3656, 3657,
3658.
Bibliography: Arthur Bonnici, History of the Church in Malta 2 vols (Valetta,
Malta, 1967) 1:102. The Catholic Directory of Malta and Gozo, ed. Charles G. Vella
(Floriana, Malta, 1963), 232.
Franciscan Minors, Provincial Archives, Valletta (O.F.M.)The Friars Minor came to Malta before 1500. They built their first church and monastery in Rabat in 1492; they established a second house in Valletta in 1575.
The earliest document dates from 1517. Until the 16th century the convent
was part of the Sicilian Province, but then the missions on Malta became
independent. Their archives contain all the records of the Maltese
Province. Address: Franciscan Fathers Province
291 St. Paul Street
Valletta
Provincial Library, O.F.M., Malta - Manuscripts (26 mss), 17th-18th century
This section comprises Arabic grammars, translations of the Bible into Arabic, and a Syriac Life of St. John the Baptist - Notizie de Benefizi (3 mss) 1630-pre 1700
Bibliography: Arthur Bonnici, History of the Church in Malta 2 vols (Valetta, Malta, 1967) 1:104.The Catholic Directory of Malta and Gozo, ed. Charles G. Vella (Floriana, Malta, 1963), 232. -
Franciscan Minors (O.F.M.), Valletta, Commissariato di Terra Santa
This institution within the Friary of the Franciscan Minors in Valletta has a rich
collection of music manuscripts acquired through a donation.
Archives of the Commissariato:
- Musical Archives (381 mss and some printed works). The composers include Nicolo
Isouard and Francesco Azzopardi.
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Monastero Santa Scolastica, Benedictine Nuns, Vittoriosa
This Benedictine Monastery was transferred to Vittoriosa from Mdina. The Church has
fine works of art by Mattia Preti and others.
Archives of the Monastery (4 mss)
Range 1780-1824 (Malta Series I, 3436, 4301-3)
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Monastero S. Ursula
A female religious house that belonged to the Order of St. John. Today
they fall under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Malta, but retain the liturgical
vestments of the Order as well as their historical links, especially with the Maltese
Association of the Order.
Archives of the Monastery (1 mss)
Cabrio de' beni e renditi 1678, coll'addizione d'alcuni beni 1759; pp.325 (Malta
Series I, 4644)
Data supplied by Msgr. John Azzopardi. Posted by
the Malta Study Center, Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, Saint John's
University, Collegeville, MN 56321 USA.
Updated 14 November 2000
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