The tombs of Ancien Malta Cavaliers

The St. John Cathedral is the most important church in Malta, a magic place richs of masterpiece. It was built during 1578 by the maltese architect Gerolamo Cassar and by the Italian artist Mattia Preti In this church is keeped one of two painting that the famous painter, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, painted in the time that he lived in Malta. between 1607 and 1608 he was in Malta, hosted by the Great Master of the Order of the Knights of Malta, Alof de Wignacourt. He admitted Caravaggio in the Order of Malta as ?Knight of Grace?, but because of the murder in Rome, he was imprisoned.The painting is the "Decollazione di Giovanni Battista" and it's keeped in the Oratory. The other painting that is keeped in Malta is the "San Girolamo nello studio" another masterpiece of this great artist. During the time in which he lived in Malta,his painting became gloomier: the background became always darker and the touches of the brush more rapid. In the Decollazione, his name is painted in red, with the Baptist's blood.

The St. John Cathedral is famous also for his mysterious crypt, in which to many centuries twelve Great Master of the Order of the Knights of Malta are sleepeing his eternal sleep. They are buried in a large cavity, excavated in the rock of the island and profusely decorated with frescos. The first Great Master that was buried in the crypt was Philippe de Villiers de L'Isle- Adam, which represents also the first Great Master of the Order. He died in the 1534 and his body was buried in a first time in the Chapel of Saint Angel Fort, later in the crypt. The warrior monk lies with a longe sword among his hands, and his bed is ornated by fine floral motifs