Chancellor: The Reverend Canon Simon Godfrey Tel: 7991 3521
Assistant Priest:The Reverend Dr Peter Packer Tel:00447932648034
- Locum Chaplain for September 2019:Fr John Hunniset
- Reader: Mr Michael Collins 79357090
- Church Wardens: Mrs Bernice Caruana Tel: 7905 9215 Mr Simon Walker Tel:79708808
- Chaplaincy Council Secretary: Mrs Barbara Day Tel:99056320
- Chaplaincy Treasurer :Mr Christian Gravina
- Safeguarding Officer : Mrs Susan Warner Tel:79074152 Safeguarding in the Chaplaincy is a priority as it is in the rest of the Archdeaconry of Italy and Malta
- Cathedral Friends Secretary: Mr Simon Walker Tel: 7970 8808
The Cathedral is built in the Neo-Classical style, the spire is a Valletta landmark, rising to over 200 feet (60 metres) and with the rest of the building is subject to a Major Restoration Project please visit www.savethecathedral.com The fine interior Corinthian columns, balance the austere exterior and the imposing portico with its simple Ionic columns
St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, Independence Square, Valletta, Malta GC VLT1535
MAIN SERVICES:
Every Sunday: Mass 11.00 am
Tuesday: Mass 11.00am
Thursday:Mass 11.00 am
Feast Days are celebrated with Mass usually at 11 00 am and are indicated on the weekly pew sheet
Monday to Friday: Morning Prayer 9.00am
The Cathedral is open daily from 10am until 5pm but some days opens and closes earlier ! It is to be visited as a quiet place for prayer and contemplation as well as a place of community activity, worship and heritage.
The Undercroft Trattoria is also open every day from 10.00am until 1700 .The Visitor Centre is in the Undercroft and welcomes visitors all day. Private events may be booked please call Elaine Farrugia on 00356 79445640
The 175 th Anniversary of the Consecration of the Cathedral on All Saints Day 1844 will be celebrated on Sunday 3rd November 2019 at 1030 am when the principal Celebrant will be our Lead Bishop The Rt Reverend David Hamid who will also preach .The President of the Republic Dr George Vella KCMG and the British High Commissioner HE Stuart Gill OBE will be present.
The Annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols will be sung on Sunday 15th December 2019 at 6.30 pm .
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2020 Ecumenical Service will be celebrated in the Cathedral on Friday 24 th January ,the Eve of the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul.The Most Reverend Charles Scicluna Archbishop of Malta will preside and preach .
The Patronal Festival 2020
Mass 1030 ( Please note the earlier start time ) Organ Recital 12 noon Annual Lecture 1230 The Annual Shipwreck Lunch 1.00 in the Undercroft
The Shipwreck of St Paul 2020 Sunday 9th February
Celebrant The Bishop of Beverley The Right Reverend Glenn Webster ; Preacher : The Reverend Canon Robin Ward Principal of St Stephen’s House Oxford ;9th Annual Lecturer: Dr Peter Burman MBE FSA Architectural Historian and Writer
St Paul is considered to be the spiritual father of the Maltese.
His shipwreck recorded in The Acts of the Apostles Chapters 27 and 28. and his subsequent stay of three months brought the Christian message to the Islands and is popularly considered one of the great events in the Nation’s history.
From Prayer 23
by The Reverend John Donne DD
1572-1631
Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, London
O Eternal and Most Gracious God, thy Holy Apostle St Paul was shipwrecked thrice, and yet still saved. Though the rocks and the sands, the heights and the shallows, the prosperity and the adversity of this world do diversely threaten me, yet O God, let me never make shipwreck of faith and good conscience. And thy long-lived, thy everlasting mercy will visit me, though that which I earnestly pray against should fall upon me, a relapse into those sins which I have truly repented and thou hast fully pardoned.
THE CHOIR AT ST PAUL’S
If you are an Anglican worshipper and could regularly attend the 11 am Sunday service at St Paul’s, would you consider joining the Choir?
The choir rehearses in the Cathedral starting around 10.30 am.
Visiting choir members are most welcome to join the choir whilst in Malta. Please make yourself known to the sidespersons who will conduct you to the choir vestry where you will be given music and a robe
THE EVENTS COMMITTEE
The Events Committee meets on a regular basis to discuss and organise a comprehensive series of social events, meeting with the Guild at Holy Trinity Church to co-ordinate the programme for the Chaplaincy throughout the year.
New members with new ideas are always welcome.
Chairman:Vacant
Deputy Chairman:Mrs Jean Attard Tel:79322462
Forthcoming Events
THE CATHEDRAL CHAPTER OF THE DIOCESE
The unified Cathedral Chapter of the Diocese in Europe was created by an Episcopal declaration in February 1997. It replaces the former separate chapters of the cathedral and pro-cathedral churches, though the Chapter stalls are dispersed among the three Cathedral churches of Holy Trinity, Gibraltar, St Paul’s Malta and Holy Trinity, Brussels.. The function of the Cathedral Chapter is to support the Bishop by prayer and counsel.
Canons with a named stall in St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral Valletta
St Luke: The Reverend Canon Simon Godfrey (2009 ex officio, Chancellor)
St Silas: The Reverend Canon Paul Ormrod
St Timothy: The Reverend Canon Andrew Wagstaff
St Barnabas: The Reverend Canon Ian Sherwood
St Agnes: Vacant
St Mark: The Reverend Canon Patrick Curran (2000 )
St Polycarp: The Reverend Canon Malcolm Bradshaw (2001)
St Catherine of Siena: The Reverend Canon Meurig Llwyd Williams
St Helena: The Venerable Vickie Simms
St Titus: The Reverend Canon Jonathan Boardman (2007)
St Ignatius of Antioch: The Reverend Canon Christopher Jage-Bowler
Blessed John Henry Newman : The Reverend Canon Matthew Harrison
CANONS EMERTI
former canons of St Paul’s Pro-cathedral, Valletta:
The Reverend Canon John Livingstone (1993)
The Reverend Canon Philip Cousins (1995)
The Reverend Canon Gordon Reid (2003)
The Reverend Canon Tom Mendel (2008)
The Reverend Canon Arthur Siddall (2009)
The Reverend Canon Denis Moss ( 2009)
The Reverend Canon Ben Eaton (2010 )
The Reverend Canon Michael Bullock ( 2015)
CHAPLAINS AND CHANCELLORS
of St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, Valletta:
1844 J.CLEUGH. D.D
1877 H.WHITE. M.A.
1878 E.A.HARDY. M.A.
1896 A.B.CARTWRIGHT. M.A.
1901 F.De WINTON.LUSHINGTON. M.A.
1903 D.COLLYER. M.A.
1905 C.GULL. M.A.
1907 W.NAISH M.A.
1908 W.EVERED.
1910 A.F.NEWTON. M.A.
1913 F.D.BROCK.
1919 A.H.C.FARGUS. M.A.
1922 A.C.MORETON. M.A.
1926 N.A.MARSHALL.
1931 R,M, NICHOLAS. M.A.
1944 F.W.HICKS. B.A.
1955 C.PATON. O.B.E.
1959 H.R.COLTON .M.A.
1963 R.W.POPE. L.R.N.
1965 L.MacMANAWAY. Q.H.C. M.A. R.N.
1966 DONALD YOUNG. O.B.E. R.N.
1967 H.G.W. MACDONALD. M.A. B.D. R.N.
1969 GORDON HYSLOP. C.B.E. M.A.
1974 HOWARD COLE. Q.H.C. CF(Rtd). B.Sc.
1977 DAVID INDERWICK STRANGEWAYS.
1981 JOHN WALTER EVANS. M.A.
1986 KENNETH W.A.ROBERTS.
1989 PHILIP J.COUSINS. M.A.
1996 ALAN G.WOODS. T.D. F.C.C.A.
2004 TOMAS OLIVER MENDEL. SSC. M.A.
2009 SIMON H.M. GODFREY.SSC T.D.V.R. B.D.
Chancellor of St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, Valletta
The Reverend Canon Simon Godfrey, SSC
The Chancellors Lodge, St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral,
Independence Square, Valletta, Malta VLT1535
E-mail address: anglican@onvol.net
Office Telephone: 2122 5714 (country code 00356)
Mobile phone: 7991 3521
St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral: History 1844 to today…
D•O•M•ECCLESIAM•HANC•COLLEGIATAM•ADELAIDA•REGINA•GRATI•ANIMO•DICAVIT•MDCCCXLIV•
When Queen Adelaide, the widow of William IV, spent the winter of 1838/39 in Malta she was keen to found a Collegiate church in the Anglican tradition. Anglican services were held in a room in the Grand Master’s Palace and it was “insufficient to contain more than the chief English families”.The vast majority of English residents were unable to worship together.
Queen Adelaide’s offer to pay for a church overcame all objections. The British Government provided a site, on the spot where the Auberge d’Allemagne (the conventual home of the German Knights Hospitaller) had stood. Queen Adelaide laid the foundation stone on 20th March 1839.
Queen Adelaide’s Arms and Banner hang below the organ case.
The original building designed by Richard Lankasheer proved unstable and work started again in 1841 under new designs by William Scamp, who had been employed for some years as Clerk of Works to Sir James Wyattville remodelling Windsor Castle.
The Dedication of the Church to St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, was a reminder of the first Christian missionary to Malta, when he was shipwrecked on the Island in AD 59/60. Scamps plan envisaged the High Altar at the West end and four side doors, giving the additional benefit of a cooling breeze during the hot summer months. The Bishop of Gibraltar insisted on a more orthodox layout with the altar to the east, so Scamp contrived an apse inside the great doors to hold the sanctuary.
Scamp’s rather severe interior with its pillars and fluted engaged pilasters topped by Corinthian capitals supporting a cornice are architecturally in harmony with Malta.
The glass windows seem always to have been plain and had to be completely replaced after the bombing in the Second World War. Further necessary repairs after the war prompted a return to Scamp’s original orientation. The west end was transformed into a choir by building a new stone screen across the nave. The screen incorporated a stone pulpit and lectern, now in wood and presented as a memorial to Sir Winston Churchill.
To mark the centenary of the death of Queen Adelaide, the Archbishop of Canterbury dedicated the new chancel on 2nd December 1949 in the presence of Princess Elizabeth, who was visiting Prince Phillip during his period of Naval service in Malta. The former sanctuary at the east end became a Baptistry. The font was moved, from the centre of the west end to the apse.
The Undercroft, solidly constructed from the former basement of the Auberge d’Allemagne and as the new foundation of the building, was not used for 80 years. The Bishop opened it on Easter Day 1928 as a church hall. In 1938 it was made a gas proof air raid shelter and in the early days of the conflict was used by the chaplain, his wife and scores of Maltese citizens.
Despite the heavy bombing of Valletta during the Second World War and the prominent and vulnerable position of the Cathedral, it escaped serious damage during the air raids of 1941-42, Thus it survived to bear testimony to the valour of those who fought to defend Malta; and to house the memorials of all units of the Navy, Army and Air Force on the oak panels around the Sanctuary. A Merchant Navy Memorial is located on the North wall and a Submariners Memorial Plaque is situated outside, on the north-west wall of the Cathedral, facing Manoel Island.
The Undercroft had some renovation work during 2005 ;mainly decorative not structural and an improvement of the lavatory facilities in 2006.
In 2009 The Chancellor’s Lodge adjoining the Cathedral had major renovation works including roof and ceiling re- enforcement,redecoration and updating of the domestic facilities and new windows to the drawing room; a new kitchen ,bathroom and shower rooms. The external terraces of the lodge were cleared,cleaned, replanted and the pond restocked.
In 2010 the North East lobby used as the main entrance to the Cathedral was redecorated and the south east lobby below the organ loft, long used for storage, was opened up and decorated as a more convenient tourist entrance for the many visitors to the Cathedral during the week. The Bishop of the Diocese dedicated and blessed the new entrance doors to the lodge in commemoration of the 1950th anniversary of the Shipwreck of St Paul on the Island of Malta. New notice boards and signage were put at all entrances to focus visitor’s attention on the building.
In 2011 A lunchtime Live concert series was inaugurated giving young and established musicians the opportunity to make music both sacred and profane in the excellent Cathedral acoustic. An electronic piano/harpsichord was purchased and a Broadwood grand piano acquired on a permanent loan A Holy Water stoop was installed using the former Paschal Candlestick base which was completely restored and gilded and given a stone bowl. The Arms of Queen Adelaide hanging below the organ case were completely restored and re- gilded. The banner of Queen Adelaide was removed conserved, cleaned and re mounted . Two armorial plaques with the arms of the Bishop of Gibraltar were restored re- gilded and set up over the two main entrances to the Cathedral.
In 2012 The first Shipwreck Lecture was given during the Patronal festival of 10th February. The Lecturer was Professor Conrad Thake of the history department of The University of Malta .Subsequent lecturers have been Professor Richard England ,the distinguished architect; Marquis Nicholas de Piro writer, antiquarian and noble; Mr Martin Scicluna commentator and educationalist; Dr Philip Mansel historian and writer.To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the refounding of the Malta Sea Cadet Corps TS St Paul a new colour was dedicated by the Staff chaplain and installed for safekeeping. The Portico gates were partially restored ( not having been used since the 1970’s) to enable HRH The Duke of Gloucester to enter the ceremonial entrance of the Cathedral when as Grand Prior he visited the members of the Venerable Order of St John to chair a Council meeting and to be present at a reception in the Cathedral Undercroft to meet the young members of St John Ambulance in Malta
In 2013 A new Canon’s Stall was inaugurated by the Bishop of the Diocese the Rt Reverend Geoffrey Rowell during his farewell retirement visit in the name of Blessed John Henry Newman. A set of Royal Arms was displayed above the Sacristy door to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen and were dedicated and blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Most Reverend Justin Welby. With the establishment of the St Paul’s group and a permanent welcoming team co- ordinated information boards were designed and placed in the Baptistry area for visitors describing the history and story of the Cathedral community.
In 2014 A permanent loan from the de Piro Estates of a painting by A E Chalon RA Court painter to HM Queen Victoria and entitled “Ecce Homo” was placed behind the High Altar to finish the hitherto uncompleted reredos. After a concerted Organ Restoration campaign the Father Smith organ was dismantled, shipped to Ireland and restored by Messrs Kenneth Jones. The unique1684 casework was also shipped to the Irish workshops restored and returned for the organ installation in the Cathedral .A new console was designed ,built and installed on the chancel floor .The completed instrument was re- dedicated and hallowed by the new Bishop of the Diocese The Rt Reverend Robert Innes at his Enthronement on Sunday 5th October in the presence of the Archbishop of Malta ,the Papal Nuncio and the Auxiliary Bishop of Malta. The Chancellor of the Diocese, The Dean, The Registrar, The Archdeacon of Italy and Malta and the Diocesan Secretary were also present and took part. The 350th anniversary of the Royal Marines was celebrated with the setting up of a new commemorative plaque by the Royal Marine gates of the Lady Chapel. The Royal British Legion laid up two Standards and placed a commemorative plaque during the 100th Anniversary commemorations of the First World War.
In 2015 The relighting of the Spire ,The Nave ceiling ,Baptistry and external entrances was completed and an experimental lighting scheme for the Cathedral elevations landward and seaward was installed .A Commonwealth flag was hung in the Cathedral in anticipation of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in the Autumn The final project for the ceremonial portico gates was completed in anticipation of the visit of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh who as Patron of the Friends of the Cathedral visited on 27th November and was present for a Thanksgiving Service for the work of the Friends and the dedication of an original photograph of Sir Winston Churchill in the 50th anniversary year of his death by Yousef Karsh.
In 2016 an announcement concerning the restoration of the Cathedral Undercroft was made following a grant promised by a local charity and proposed business partner. The project architect has outlined the scope of the works which will include a new floor throughout ,new lavatory facilities,a new kitchen and ancillary storage spaces and a new state of the art lighting scheme. Once the scheme is delivered the space will become a coffee shop, visitor centre and coference facility benefitting both the existing congregation and the increasing number of visitors. The tower ringing apertures closed by wooden louvers( not replaced since 1949 ) were opened ,the louvers restored and conserved and replaced to eradicate pigeon access and the lucarnes were sealed with framed galvanized mesh .Following the experimental lighting scheme in November 2015 a project to flood light the Portico was completed to celebrate the Birthday of HM the Queen. The Chaplaincy council approved an extensive project to restore the exterior of the Cathedral ,Tower and Spire, Interior
In 2017 following extensive research and recruitment during 2016 the Appeal’s Restoration Committee appointed AP Architects Malta’s Leading Restoration Practice ( St John’s Co Cathedral ,The Manoel Theatre and the City Gate and Parliament Buildings )and began its work in earnest under the joint chairmanship of Sir Martin Laing and Mr Martin Scicluna .The appeal was officially launched on the Feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck in the presence of the Right Reverend David Hamid our Lead Bishop and the Most Reverend Charles Scicluna Archbishop of Malta An initial sum of E3 Million is sought and a development fund will follow . Charitable grants, individual donations and events led to a sum of E850 ,000 collected in addition to the grant from the European Regional Development Fund 5 of E1.28 Million which has been allocated to begin the work on the Iconic tower and spire and boundary wall and historic gates ,lanterns and railings in 2018/19 The Undercroft was closed in March 2017 to begin a E300,000 project to completely restore all structural defects, remodel and totally transform the facility :this work was completed on time and budget by late August and the Coffee shop opened at the beginning of September and was opened officially on the 4th October by HRH The Prince of Wales.Since trading the Undercroft has hosted over 75 private and public functions many of which have significantly raised the profile of our public engagement programme. The Coffee shop serves food and drink on a daily basis and provides resources and catering for the Cathedral congregation .
In 2018 the Commissioned Architects AP(Architectural Projects) completed the first comprehensive survey of the Cathedral since the architect William Scamp finished the building works which were then followed by the Consecration in 1844.Significant information has been revealed about Scamp’s design techniques which have given rise to the decision to complete the works in 2 phases: Phase 1 the Tower and Spire and all exterior stonework including the boundary wall ,disabled access to the Undercroft and the restoration of the perimeter railings.Phase 2 A new roof with photovoltaic panelling to enable the generation of the Cathedral’s electricity to conform to our stated Environmental policy ,a New ceiling to replace the temporary structure completed in 1963,new interior lighting and electrical wiring and anew lavatory block and Sacristy .
In 2019 Much of the Architectural survey was carried out by drone inspection as well as manually from temporary scaffolding and as a direct result of this survey the estimate for complete building repairs has been updated to 8.8 Million Euros . The sum available to spend as a result of great generosity and excluding European Grant Aid has risen to 1.25 Million Euros enabling the first phase to begin in earnest following a successful tendering process .Application for further EU funding has been submitted with the hope that the second phase will be funded by 2021/2.Scaffolding will be erected before the building work begins to enable a consolidation of the proposed 2 phases.The application for building work to begin was successfully achieved during Summer 2108 and with the confirmation of the EU grant during June 2019 the first phase will begin before or just after the end of the summer .The Cathedral community will celebrate the 175th Anniversary of the Consecration on 3rd November 2019.Please visit www.savethecathedral.com for the latest information.