The titular painting of the Chapel of Our Lady of Manresa at Casa Manresa in Floriana, by celebrated artist Antoine Favray, has been restored to mark the 275th anniversary of the official inauguration and blessing of the historic building.
Carried out over the past year by conservator Amy Sciberras and her team, the restoration has brought renewed clarity and vibrancy to the artwork, which depicts St Ignatius of Loyola writing ‘The Spiritual Exercises’ during his time of discernment in Manresa, under the maternal gaze of the Virgin Mary and her son Jesus.
The Favray painting forms part of a broader artistic programme created by the artist for the chapel. In addition to the titular work, he produced four paintings for the lateral altars and two oval paintings centred on the themes of discernment and the good death, reinforcing the spiritual ethos of Casa Manresa. Favray also painted an image of God the Father that once adorned the chapel’s dome before the present lantern was constructed.
The restored painting, which dates to 1748, was unveiled by Archbishop Charles Scicluna during a ceremony attended by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi, Administrative Secretary Michael Pace Ross and invited guests.
Casa Manresa was inaugurated as a retreat house on 16 March 1751 and blessed by the Bishop of Malta, Paul Alphéran de Bussan, in a ceremony attended by the Grand Master of the Order of St John, Manuel Pinto de Fonseca. In later years, it served as a seminary and today houses the Archbishop’s Curia.
A recently discovered historical document, which once formed part of a now-lost architectural plan, has shed new light on the completion and official inauguration of the Santa Casa della Madonna di Manresa, built under the care of the Jesuit Fra Pier Francesco Rosignoli.
Casa Manresa traces its origins to around 1742, when Fra Rosignoli arrived in Malta and began organising spiritual retreats in Valletta based on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola. These retreats centred on meditations on sin, the life of Christ, His Passion and Resurrection, inviting participants to reflect deeply on their lives and prepare spiritually for the decisive moment of death.
Seeking a quieter environment for these exercises, Rosignoli later moved the retreats to a property in Floriana, where they began to be held more regularly. Through the generosity of Maltese benefactors and members of the Order of St John, particularly Portuguese knights, he launched the construction of Casa Manresa.
The 275th anniversary recalls not only the historical and spiritual significance of the complex but also its important contribution to Malta’s religious life across the centuries, together with its artistic and cultural value as part of the nation’s heritage.
Rosignoli himself contributed personally by dedicating an annual income of 200 scudi received from his family. A further significant donation came from Pedro III (Infante) of Portugal, who had received his early education from the Jesuits and responded generously to Rosignoli’s request for assistance.
A marble plaque bearing his coat of arms and commemorating his contribution, dated 1749, still stands above the main entrance of the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Manresa.
