Church of the Flight into Egypt

Church of the Flight into Egypt
Knisja tal-Ħarba lejn l-Eġittu
Church of the Flight into Egypt
35°53′26.1″N 14°30′30.3″E / 35.890583°N 14.508417°E / 35.890583; 14.508417
Location	Floriana
Country	Malta
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Founder(s)	Manuel Pinto da Fonseca
Dedication	Flight into Egypt
Dedicated	1752
Architecture
Status	Active
Functional status	Church
Architectural type	Church
Style	Baroque
Completed	1752
Specifications
Number of domes	1
Number of spires	2
Administration
Archdiocese	Malta
Clergy
Rector	Paul Attard

The Church of the Flight into Egypt is a Roman Catholic church located in the Valletta Waterfront in Floriana, Malta.

History

This church is the only one in the country dedicated to the Flight into Egypt. The chapel was built under the reign of Grand Master Manuel Pinto da Fonseca in the 1750s It was used by departing and arriving sailors.^[1] The designs for this baroque chapel were done by local Maltese architect Andrea Belli. Even though the church is small, the architect made sure to include all characteristics that a bigger church would have such as two bell towers and copula. An inscription above the door reads Aeterna Patris Figlio Matri Semper Vergini, Nec Non Putativo Patris In Aegypto Tutatis in Humilimae Servitutis Titulum. MDCCLII showing the year 1752, the year the church was dedicated. Above the inscription there is the coat of arms of Grand Master Pinto adorned by an imperial crown. The church which was extensively damaged during an air raid on the 16th January 1941, but it was restored in 1989.^[2] The chapel was inaugurated on July 28, 2006 as part of the Valletta Waterfront project.^[3]

Interior

The titular painting above the high altar depicts the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. The painting depicts the Virgin Mary, with baby Jesus in her hands, resting under the shade of a palm tree, while on their way to Egypt. St Joseph is portrayed pulling his donkey to have some shade while some angels are shown looking over the Holy Family. The interior walls are richly decorated with sculptures, making the church a rich example of baroque architecture.^[4]

References