THE REVEkENDA FABBRICA DI SAN PIETRO DELL 'URBE lN THE MALTESE ISLANDS A l{ISTORICAL SURVEY ( 1626 - 1798) PART I REV. ALOYSIUS DEGUARA Dissertation in fulfilment of the requirements for M. Phil. Faculty of Theology University of Malta May 1997 Fig. 1 Coat of Arms of the Reverenda Fabbrica di San Pietro dell'Urbe (Golden embroidery on a chasuble given by the Cimmissioner of the Reverenda Fabbrica to the Collegiate Church of S. Lawrence, Vittoriosa) The Reverenda Fabbrica di S. Pietro in the Maltese Islands The Office and Tribunal of the Reverenda Fabbrica in Malta and Gozo were the fourth judicial power in the Maltese Archipelago for nearly two centuries (1626-1798). The Sacred Congregation of the Reverenda Fabbrica in the Vatican established its Tribunal in Malta with Nicola Mangione, a meticulous jurist and consultant of Grand Master Lascaris, as its Commissioner, in order to see that all pious legacies were fulfilled and to raise funds for the building and embellishment of the Vatican Basilica. It enjoyed full executive powers over all the inhabitants of Malta and Gozo, including the familiares of the Bishop and of the Inquisitor, the Religious Orders and all the members of the Order of Saint John, the Sovereign rulers of the islands. Its ministers and officials were exempt persons from all existing powers. At times great conflicts of power had to be decided by the Holy See. By means of the Brief of Alexander VII (19 May 1655), formerly Inquisitor of Malta as Fabio Chigi, the Tribunal was united to that of the Holy Inquisition, though the Fabbrica maintained its autonomy of judgement in two instances: it kept its own Chancery and Depositeria:the Inquisitor pro tempore became the Deputy of the Congregation and its Commissioner;. appeals from sentences pronounced in Malta were heard before the High Court of the Congregation. Its seat of judgement was transferred from the Banca Notarile of Michele Ralli in Valletta to the Apostolic Palace in Vittoriosa. Owing to the penury and poverty of the Maltese people a great amount of the Fabbrica's income was distributed as elemosina to the poor families and to the institutes or monasteries which cared for orphans, unmarried mothers, poor spinsters and to the nuns themselves. Even foreigners living in Malta were given help during their misfortunes. After the earthquake of 1693 and during the plagues, the social and charitable assistance of the Fabbrica reached its peak. At times places of worship were allowed contributions for the building, amongst which St Paul's parish church in Valletta. For a whole century no money was sent to the Vatican because it was badly needed for the social assistance of the Maltese people. However, when the Fabbrica was in great need, especially after the pontificate of Alexander VII, all income was sent immediately to the Vatican. Since no research in this area has ever been made by scholars of Maltese history, the correspondence of the Reverenda Fabbrica is still an untapped source for the social history of Malta and Gozo. The publication of all the Corri~pondenza held at the Vatican Archives and the Cathedral Museum in Mdina will, it is hoped, providing one and all with new insight into the many interesting aspects of the history of Malta and Gozo. 3 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 12 PART I THE REVERENDA FABBRJCA DI SAN PIETRO CHAPTER 1 THE BUILDING OF THE VATICAN BASILICA 1 The Old Saint Peter's 24 2 The New Basilica 31 3 Michelangelo's return to Rome 42 4 Decorations and Embellishments 51 CHAPTER 2 THE SACRED CONGREGATION OF THE REVERENDA FABBRJCA DI SAN PIETRO DELL'URBE 5 Origin of the Sacred Congregation 59 6 The Collegium Sexaginta Virorum 64 7 The Institution of the Sacred Congregation 67 8 Reform in the Constitution of the Congregation 76 9 The Office of Administration 79 CHAPTER 3 THE TRIBUNAL AND THE OFFICE OF THE REVERENDA FABBRICA IN MALTA 10 Early Beginnings 81 11 Nicola Mangione: the First Commissioner 89 12 Mangione's personality 92 13 Attempts by Cagliares to overthrow the decision 97 14 The Institution of the Tribunal 101 15 Proceedings at the Tribunal 112 16 Vigour recovered after fears 118 17 Decree for the Island of Gozo 120 18 The Involvement of the Religious Clergy 122 19 The Grand Master's benevolence and doubts 123 4 CHAPTER 4 REFORM AND DEVELOPEMENT WITHIN THE TRIBUNAL OF THE REVERENDA FABBRI CA 20 The Inquisitorship of Fabio Chigi 130 21 The Historical Decision 142 22 New Era 146 23 The Right of Exemption and the Patentees 154 24 The Last Days 161 CHAPTER 5 SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE ASSISTANCE 25 Urgent needs and Social services 166 26 Hospitals and Hospices 170 27 Social and Charitable Institutions 180 28 Other Medical and Charitable Initiatives 183 29 Poverty and Social needs 185 30 Hardships, Plagues and Devastations 188 31 Moral instability 195 32 The Role of the Reverenda Fabbrica 197 33 Monasteries and Religious Houses 206 34 Churches and Chapels 209 35 Contributions to poor Families 213 36 General view of various contributions 218 CONCLUSION 235 APPENDICES 1 Complete List of the Ms at St Peter' s Basilica, Vatican City, and at the Cathedral Museum Archives, Mdina, Malta. 248 2 Cardinal Prefects and Presidents of the Sacred Congregation of the Reverenda Fabbrica. 259 3 The Secretaries, the Bursars, The Secretary-Bursars General and the Delegates of the Sacred Congregation 261 4 The Inquisitors who were Commissioners 263 5 5 The Bishops of Malta 265 6 The Grand Masters of the Order of Saint John 266 7 The Officials and Ministers of the Reverenda Fabbrica 267 8 The Coinage of the Knights in Malta 274 9 Examples of Manuscripts 275 BIBLIOGRAPHY 1 Primary Sources 294 2 Secondary Sources 295 3 Other works 296 PART II THE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE SACRED CONGREGATION 1 Introduction tothe Catalogue 303 2 Correspondence in the Archives of the Reverenda Fabbrica of Saint Peter's (AFSP) 312 3 Correspondence in the Archives of the Cathedral Museum (AIMRF) Volume 40 (1628-1670) 354 Volume 41 (1670-1687) 416 Volume 42 (1687-1730) 472 Volume 43 (1731-1798) 526 Other Documents ( AlMRF) 595 6 ILLUSTRATIONS 1 Coat-of-Arms of the Reverenda Fabbrica di San Pietro dellUrbe (Golden embroidery on a chasuble donated by the Reverenda Fabbrica to the Collegiate Church ofVittoriosa) 2 2 Marble statue of Saint Peter in the Grotte Vaticane 23 3 Reconstruction of the pre-Constantinian altar built over the tomb of Peter known as the Tropeum Gaii 26 4 A complete view of the Quadriga Mausoleum in the Crypts of S. Peter's 30 5 Raffaello, Julius II 35 6 Bramante, First proposed plan of Saint Peter's Basilica 38 7 Plan of Saint Peter's Basilica as it stands now 45 8 Michelangelo, The Dome of the Basilica 47 9 External view of the western side of the Basilica 49 10 Bernini, Project of the Piazza and Portico of Saint Peter's 53 11 Bernini, Altar with the Tabernacle of the Blessed Sacrament 55 12 Aerial view of the Piazza completed by Alexander VII 57 13 13th century fresco fragmnet of the Apostle Peter 63 14 l 6th century gilt bronze statue of Saint Peter 69 15 G. Zammit, Nicola Mangione 91 16 Bishop Balthassare Cagliares 99 17 Pope Alexander VII, Fabio Chigi 131 18 The Apostolic Palace of the Holy Inquisition, Vittoriosa 136 7 19 The Decree of Alexander VII 143 20 The Siculo-Norman courtyard of the Apostolic Palace 147 21 Coats-of-Arms of the Inquisitors in the hall of the Seat of Judgement148 22 Another series of Coat of Arms 149 23 The Monastery of S. Catherine in Valletta 176 24 A. Favray, Bishop Paolo Alpheran de Bussan 178 25 Chapel of Santa Maria Maddalena, Valletta 207 26 Chapel of the Monastery of S. Scolastica, Vittoriosa 217 27 Bernini, The Altar of Confession and the Gloria 302 28 Gerolamo Cardinal Casanate (1659-1663) 405 29 Angelo Cardinal Ranuccio ( 1666-1668) 408 30 Ranuccio Cardinal Pallavicini ( 1672-167 6) 429 31 Innico Cardinal Caracciolo (1683-1686) 464 32 Francesco Cardinal Aquaviva (1690-1694) 484 33 T ommaso Cardinal Ruffo ( 1694-1698) 488 34 Giorgio Cardinal Spinola (1703-1706) 508 35 Antonio Cardinal Ruffo (1720-1728) 521 36 Giovanni Ottavio Cardinal Manciforte Sperelli (1767-1771) 547 37 Gio Francesco Cardinal Stopppani (1731-173 5) 559 38 Carlo Francesco Cardinal Durini ( 173 5-1740) 561 39 Ludovico Gualterio Cardinal Gualtieri ( 17 40-17 43) 559 40 Angelo Maria Cardinal Durini (1760-1767) 569 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Rev. Professor Joseph Bezzina, Dip. Arch., Dip. Bibl., B.A.(Hons.), H.E.D. The Rev. Professor Emeritus Mgr Vincent Borg, D.D., H.E.D.Arch.Chr.L. The Rev. Prof Edmond Caruana, O.C., SL.L.,SL.D., Dipl.Bibl. (Vat), Editorial Secretary of the Libreria Editrice Vaticana Rev. Anthony Ward, S.M., the Archivist of Saint Peter's Basilica Rev. Alexader Bonnici, O.F.M.Conv. Rev Can. J. Azzopardi, Lic.D., Curator of the Cathedral Museum. Mr J. Cassar Pullicino, Archivist and Librarian of the Archbishop's Seminary. Joseph Felice Pace, B.A.(Hons.), Lie. D. Gorg Mallia, M.A. Chev. George Said Zammit, M.A. Aaron Grech The Staff of the Cathedral Museum, Mdina Photo Credits: Marquis A Cassar Desain Stanley Spiteri. 9 ABBREVIATIONS AAM ArchivumEpiscopaleMelitensis AAS ActaApostolicaeSedis ACM Archivum Cathedralis Metropolitanae ACY Archivum Collegiatae Victoriosa AFSP Archivum Fabricae Sancti Petri (Vaticanus) AIM Archivum Inquisitionis Melitae AIMRF Archivum Inquisitionis Melitae, Reverendae Fabricae S. Petri A M S C Archivum Monasterii Sanctae Catharinae Melitae A M S P Archivum Monasterii Sancti Petri Melitae A M S S Arcivum Monasterii Sanctae Scholasticae Melitae A 0 M Archivum Ordinis S.