On Thursday, 22nd October 2025, a group from Mother of Good Counsel Church, Paceville, visited the beautifully restored St. Augustine Priory in Valletta, recently inaugurated after several years of extensive conservation and restoration works.
The group was warmly welcomed by members of the Augustinian Community, who shared insights about the project and its cultural and historical importance. The restoration included the conservation of the external and internal facades, the rehabilitation of the courtyard, archaeological discoveries from the 16th-century Church, and the creation of a new Interpretation Centre showcasing artefacts, artworks, and historical spaces.
The building also included the excavations of the 16th-century church discovered beneath the garden soil, together with the restoration of other parts of the Church and Priory dating from the same period. The group also saw the Church Crypt, which served as a refuge during the Second World War, and the air-raid shelter used at that time. Among the many other areas open to exploration were the Library, the Oratory, and several beautifully restored spaces containing paintings, statues, and other artefacts of high artistic and historical value.
After the tour, everyone enjoyed a pleasant lunch in the Augustinian Refectory, where a spirit of friendship and gratitude filled the atmosphere. The occasion was both informative and uplifting, a day that deepened appreciation for the Augustinian heritage and the enduring beauty of faith expressed through art, history, and community.
The group expresses heartfelt thanks to the Augustinian Friars for their warm hospitality and for the inspiring work being carried out at the heart of our capital city.
