Here There and Everywhere

Morocco Malta and the Med: Concert at St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Malta

This was a lot of fun, mostly because it also involved walking along Malta’s main street at night.

A concert in one of the most beautiful and unusual churches in the world – Saint John’s Co-Cathedral, and everyone’s first question is “what is a co-cathedral?” I don’t pretend to understand this explanation from Wikipedia:

St. John’s remained the conventual church of the Order until the latter was expelled from Malta with the French occupation in 1798.^[12] Over time, the church grew to equal prominence with the archbishop’s cathedral at Mdina. In the 1820s, the Bishop of Malta was allowed to use St John’s as an alternative see and it thus formally became a co-cathedral.^[13]

It seems to have to do with two bishops sharing a church.

Yes. This church is spectacular and unusual and has a Caravaggio. The squares in the floor are vaults where Knights of Malta are buried.

The concert was truly lovely, instrumental and vocals, beautifully done.

I was fascinated by this very manly, muscular John the Baptist.

Caravagio’s Beheading of John the Baptist:

I love the whole idea of this. Malta attracts a lot of large cruise ships with young people and has a lot of active things for them to do. Creating a good orchestra and choir attracts also an older crowd, and gives us a chance to support the Valletta community in a meaningful way while we get a chance to sit and absorb the music in a beautiful cathedral we might be rushed through during the day. This gives us time and space to truly appreciate our time in Malta.

January 13, 2025 - Posted by intlxpatr | Cultural, Marketing, Music, Quality of Life Issues, Travel, Values | Malta, Saint John Co-Cathedral, valletta