Marriages between 1627-1650

Abstract

In 1517, through the work of Bishop Bernardino Catagnano, the Convent and Church of the R.R. Preachers under the name of "Annunciation" was founded in Vittoriosa. The Convent at Mdina was already in existence since 1466. Meanwhile the Convent in Vittoriosa was occupied by fathers known not only for their holiness but also for their doctrine and counsel for which they had acquired the esteem of the Grand Masters of the Order. It suffises to mention only the name of Father Damiano Taliana a very distinct personage. Meanwhile the city of Valletta was taking shape (1566) streets were planned, sites for public and private buildings were assigned and work was in progress. Some Dominican Fathers of Vittoriosa, so as to assist the inhabitants of the New City by administering the Sacraments, moved to Valletta, and established themselves in a house adjoining the Church of St. Frances of Paola, known today as Sta. Lucia. After four years of arduous work, Grand Master Del Monte granted them a site to build a convent and a church under the title of "Beata Vergine di Porto Salvo" so that they could establish the Order of Preachers permanently in the New City. Having obtained from the general council in Rome the permission to found the said convent and Church, Del Monte solemnly granted the site to the Dominican Fathers on the 19th April 1571, through the acts of Notary Placido Abel. On this same day all the Dominican Fathers came from Vittoriosa to the Church of St. Francis of Paola from where, after having celebrated high Mass, they proceeded in procession to the site where their new convent and church were to be built followed by many people, various knights and other members of the Order. When they arrived on the site, Damiano Taliana, the prior, solemnly laid the foundation stone.