Time symbols in St John’s Co-Cathedral, Malta
This post was written by Peter de Clercq
As he knows that I am interested in horology on gravestones (see my earlier blog ‘Time symbols in cemeteries’ posted in October last year), Anthony Turner kindly sent me a few photos taken during a recent visit to Malta.
In St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valetta, the floors are entirely paved with inlaid marble tombstones of the knights of St John. They were all made following original designs and composed of coloured inlaid marble. They date from the early seventeenth century to the late eighteenth century.
The in total 405 tombstones and monuments, of which 154 are in the main nave, are all illustrated on the wonderful website of the Co-Cathedral. There we learn that they commemorate some of the most illustrious knights of the Order. Several of them were members of powerful aristocratic families of Europe. They were grand priors, admirals and bailiffs, amongst others, and were often referred to as Most Illustrious Lord Brother Illustrissimus Dominus Frater.
The Latin epitaphs describe the virtues of the individual knight. Each tombstone is charged with messages of triumph, fame, victory and death. Symbols, both ecclesiastical and profane, are used in a vibrant visual language of colour and design.
One of the most popular symbols is the image of death represented by a skeleton, often with a sickle and an hourglass, and occasionally a clock or clock dial, all signifying the passage of time. Here are some striking examples.
If you ever have the chance to visit Malta, do not miss St John’s Co-Cathedral. Anthony assures me it is quite spectacular.
All photos reproduced here courtesy of St John’s Co-Cathedral.