This type of choral book is called a gradual that consists of chants for the Mass of the Roman Catholic church made to accompany the service.Įach choral book features hand-painted illuminations of exceptional beauty with gold leaf as a background adding to their brilliance. His coat-of-arms is frequently displayed on them. They were given to the church as a gift by Grand Master Philippe Villiers de L’Isle Adam who reigned from 1521 to 1534. The largest and most important set consists of ten illuminated choral books. There are three sets which were all gifts from different grand masters. They are by far the most beautifully executed choral books on the island. These manuscripts relate to the early part of the Knights’ stay in Malta. This set of tapestries was an expression of the supremacy of the Catholic Church and the munificence of the Grand Master and the Order. The set of tapestries was one of the most outstanding gifts the church received. The large dimensions and the exuberant character of the designs make this set one of the most spectacular interpretations of Baroque art and brought the most dazzling embellishment to the church.

The tapestries were woven entirely from the finest wool and silk yarns and measure six meters in height. The tapestries were made to hang from the cornice along the nave of the church during important occasions such as the feast of St John the Baptist. Fourteen panels represent the Virgin Mary, Christ the Saviour and the Apostles and the Grand Master Perellos’ full-length portrait complete the set. The scenes depicting the life of Christ are based on other masterpieces by Rubens and Poussin. The designs of the tapestries about the Eucharist were based on cartoons made by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens that he had originally made for the Infanta Isabella of Spain. The tapestries depict the Triumph of the Eucharist and scenes from the life of Christ. The tapestries are the largest complete set in the world and consist of twenty-nine pieces ordered from the weaver Judocus de Vos in Brussels.

The Statute of the Order stated that newly elected Grand Masters would present the Conventual Church of the Order with a gift on their appointment. The set of Tapestries at St John’s Co-Cathedral was a gift made by the Aragonese Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful to the church upon his election in 1697.

St johns illuminations