St Joseph Oratory incorporates architectural elements that predate the arrival of the Order in 1530. Originally, the site was taken up by the Church of St Catherine of Alexandria and the Church of the Visitation of Our Lady to Elizabeth. In 1530, the Church of St Catherine was handed over to the community of Greek Rite Catholics that came over to Malta with the Order. They placed the icon of Our Lady of Damaxxena therein and the name of the Church changed accordingly. In 1832, then, the Confraternity of St Joseph acquired the two churches from the Papas, demolished the Church of the Visitation of Our Lady to St Elizabeth and undertook the building of the present Oratory. The greater part of the Church of Our Lady of Damaxxena was integrated in the new building.
The Façade
The elegant façade is divided in three bays by Tuscan pillars. The central part is dominated by a door, accessed, in turn, via a flight of steps. This is surmounted by an oval window, while the parapet wall is surmounted by four finals and a central bellcote.
The left flank of the Oratory is perforated by a side door decorated by the Confraternity’s coat of arms and an inscription.
The Interior
The interior is styled in the Baroque idiom. The reredos of the main altar is in wood, and the titular painting shows St Joseph and Baby Jesus. Originally, these adorned the Chapel of St Joseph in the Parish Church. The aisle is divided in three bays by Ionic pillars. The vault follows the same rhythm and features three quadripartite vaults lit up by lateral windows. The emblems at the centre of each bay were sculpted by Francesco Fabri and represent a selection of symbols linked to St Joseph. The central bay on the right-hand side hosts the processional statue of St Joseph, draped in textiles, while the main door is surmounted by a balcony intended for a pipe-organ, and is flanked by doors crowned by a niche. The Our Lady of Damaxxena Church is accessed through the first bay on the right.
Parish Museum
In 1990, the Oratory was turned into a Parish Museum. The interesting choice of artefacts includes a collection of paintings hailing from other churches in Birgu., two medieval Byzantine icons, the sword and hat of Grand Master Jean de Valette, sacred paraphernalia, and silver utensils formerly employed for ritualistic scopes.
Milestones
pre-1530: site occupied by two churches dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria and the Visitation of Our Lady to Elizabeth respectively
1530-58: adoption of the St Catherine of Alexandria Church as Parish for Christians of the Byzantine rite
1758: both churches annexed to the Vicarage of the Papas in Valletta
1832: acquisition by the Confraternity of St Joseph, demolition of the Church of the Visitation of Our Lady, and construction of the present Oratory
1940-44: sustaining of significant damages by enemy bombing
1990: adoption as a Parish Museum
