Rabat

Noted and illustrated in Buhagiar (2005): "The church was largely rebuilt in 1616-30 and many of its works of art were unfortunately either destoyed or dispersed. One lucky survivor is a white marble holy water stoup donated some time before 1500 by Petro Beraxi [sic], a prominent member of the Town Council […] It is in the shape of a scalloped shell with an inscribed medallion enclosing a cross monogram on the front". The basin is rather shallow, with the outer surface ribbed all around; at the front it has a large medallion in which is inscribed the cross monogram noted in Buhagiar, with the inscription around it; the inner surpface of the basin is decorated with a concave rib pattern all around; at the base of the underbowl is a rope moulding; an image shoows a large square opening at the base, but, since the bowl has no drain hole, it must have served to fit in the top of the pedestal base that has been lost; it now stands on a modern metal stand. This same source informs that, during the Ottoman invasion of 1551, "the church was sacked and important liturgical furnishings, including the choir stalls and the organ, [were] destroyed by fire" -- presumably the old baptismal font perished in the fire]. NB: The Malta Independent Online [www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=56939] [accessed 22 August 2008] reproduces an article by Mario Buhagiar that appeared originally in the Christmas 2000 issue of Treasures of Malta (Valletta: Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti), in which the name of the donor appears correctly spelled as "PETRUS BERCAXI".