The friaries and Churches of the Augustinians, the Franciscan Minor Conventuals and the Capuchins in Rabat, Gozo : history, architecture and works of art

Abstract

The aim of this long essay is to underline the historic, architectural and artistic opulence of the three friaries and churches found in Rabat Gozo. This subject, mainly the historic background has been the attention of various scholars who highlighted major facets from these institutions. Other dilettantes attempted to study without buttressing their work with comprehensive references. Archival research in these publications is evident but not accurately cited. The most studied were the Augustinians and the Franciscan Minor Conventuals. Extensive publications on the Capuchins in Gozo were exclusively concentrated on their history. Thus, one of the major intentions of this study was to analyze these publications and trace their sources The work of Can. Giovanni Pietro Francesco Aguis de Soldanis written in 1746 proved to be the most cited source in several publications. However, without lessening the merit of this historian, his work is occasionally supported by obscure writings which were lavished with myths and misconceptions. What is surely unquestionable in his work is the section about the Capuchin friary and church, since at the time when the order established itself in Gozo he was a teenager. The drawback of relying on dubious sources instilled the revision of several queries by restudying the Cabreo and the Cronoca available in the Archives of the Franciscan Friars of Rabat Gozo (A.F.F.R.G) and the Provincial Archives of the Capuchin Friars in Floriana Malta (P.A.C.F.F). The Archives of the Augustinian Friary of Rabat Gozo (A.A.F.R.G) lack any material in this regard.