Dominican Priory

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Location: Kunvent, Birgu

The first Dominican priory was established in Malta in 1450 in the locality of Rabat. In 1528 the Dominicans opened another priory in Vittoriosa. In the same year the Dominicans took over the Lunzjata church which was built in 1450. After the Great Siege of 1565, in the priory, various innovations were being made including the maintenance of chapels in the church which became the responsibility of the confraternities and private owners. In the beginning of the 17th century the Dominicans demolished the old medieval church and on 23 June 1638 the foundation stone of the new church was laid. During a German blitz in the Second World War, the sacristy and most of the priory were lost. Consequently, the Dominicans were forced to leave their convent to go to a safer place. They returned to Vittoriosa to help the local community in December 1942 and spent over ten years living in the Inquisitor’s Palace whilst their priory was being rebuilt. The construction of the new priory was completed in 1954. The church adjacent to the priory was completed in August 1960. The Dominicans decorated their new church with magnificent paintings. In collaboration with Kottonera Foundation

L-ewwel prijoritarju ta’ Dumnikani ġie stabbilit f’Malta fl-1450 fil-lokalità tar-Rabat. Fl-1528 id-Dumnikani fetħu prijoritarju ieħor fil-Birgu. Fl-istess sena d-Dumnikani ħadu f'idejhom il-knisja tal-Lunzjata li nbniet fl-1450. Wara l-Assedju l-Kbir tal-1565, fil-prijoritarju kienu qed isiru diversi innovazzjonijiet fosthom il-manutenzjoni tal-kappelli fil-knisja li saret ir-responsabbiltà tal-konfraternitajiet u ta’ sidien privati. Fil-bidu tas-seklu 17 id-Dumnikani waqqgħu l-knisja medjevali l-qadima u fit-23 ta’ Ġunju 1638 tqiegħdet l-ewwel ġebla tal-knisja l-ġdida. Waqt bombardament Ġermaniż fit-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija, is-sagristija u l-biċċa l-kbira tal-prijoritarju ntilfu. Konsegwentement, id-Dumnikani kellhom jitilqu mill-kunvent tagħhom biex imorru f'post aktar sigur. F’Diċembru tal-1942 huma rritornaw il-Birgu biex jgħinu lill-komunità lokali u qattgħu aktar minn għaxar snin jgħixu fil-Palazz tal-Inkwiżitur sakemm il-prijoritarju tagħhom kien qed jinbena mill-ġdid. Il-kostruzzjoni tal-prijorarju l-ġdid tlestiet fl-1954 waqt lil-knisja biswit il-prijoritarju tlestiet f’Awwissu tal-1960. Id-Dumnikani ddekoraw il-knisja l-ġdida tagħhom b’pitturi mill-isbaħ. B’kollaborazzjoni mal-Fondazzjoni Kottonera.