Located at the back of the parish church, the Holy Crucifix Oratory is built on a plot of land donated by Bailiff Fra Emmanuel Pinto da Fonseca, who later became the 68th Grand Master of the Order. Works were scheduled for 1725, but the enlargement project of the adjoining church delayed the commencement date to 1727 (see: The Nativity of Our Lady Basilica, Isla). Claudio Durante was entrusted with the plans, whereas Master Mason Francesco Zerafa oversaw the works on site which spilled into 1730. Sculptors Pietro Paolo Zahra and his son Francesco also played an important part in the crafting of the final product. Then, in 1734, the adjoining sacristy for the storage of the respective paraphernalia and life-size statues employed in the Good Friday Procession came into being. As seat of the Holy Crucifix Confraternity, this Oratory hosted all meetings of the organisation, including praying sessions and spiritual talks.
As with the parish church, World War II was far from kind to this Oratory. Indeed, the air raids of 1942 inflicted significant damages that lead to the collapse of the vault and, in turn, the roof of the underlying crypt. These damages were eventually meticulously repaired and the Oratory opened its doors again on 30 August 1947.
Exterior
The façade is a manifestation of simplicity and contrasts the sophistication and movement of the internal ambience. Indeed, the unassuming door, windows and bell cot integrate well with the vernacular compositions of the adjoining façades.
Interior
The composition, detailing and ambience are a fine example of 18th-century Baroque. The side elevations are divided in bays by coupled pilasters, in turn fronted by a series of angels echoing the ones aligning Ponte Sant’Angelo in Rome, and carrying the symbols of the Passion of Jesus, namely the spear, the cross, the column, the I.N.R.I., the imprint of the face of Jesus on the Veronica’s cloth, the shroud, and the dice. The vault follows the rhythm of the side elevations and consists of three quadripartite compositions perforated by side windows.
Being the focal point, the apse is remarkably opulent. Pride of place is awarded to the wooden crucifix, flanked by scores of relics of saints, and framed by an articulated composition of angels and clouds. Likewise, the frieze running along the entire perimeter of the entablature is decorated by hundreds of silver ex-voto. Other decorative elements of relevance comprise the emblems of Pope Urban VIII, Bishop Michele Balaguer Camarasa, Grand Master Emmanuel Pinto da Fonseca and the Confraternity of the Holy Crucifix.
The walnut bench and cathedra for the members and officers of the Confraternity were manufactured in 1739.
Works of Art
Complementing the Holy Crucifix and hundreds of relics and ex-voto is a notable collection of canvases, namely four episodes from the Passion of Jesus painted by Francesco Zahra in 1739, Our Saviour and Our Lady of Sorrows attributed to Mattia Preti or his circle, the seven sorrows of Our Lady authored by Joseph Bonnici in 1947, and the four Evangelists produced by Ġianni Vella. Equally interesting is the main altar, crafted in marble as part of the post-war restoration project.
Irrespective of the notable quality of the listed works of art, the effigy of Jesus falling under the Cross enjoys widespread popularity and makes the Holy Crucifix Oratory at Isla a national pilgrimage hotspot. This pious image was produced by Saverio Laferla in 1742, while the reredos and altar fronting its niche date from 1958.
Milestones
1727-30: construction of Oratory and underlying crypt containing 24 tombs
1734: construction of sacristy
1788: delivery of Santo Vitorio’s corpo santo from Rome
1942: collapse of vault and underlying roof of crypt
1947: completion of restoration project and reinauguration
2016: declared a national door of the Holy Jubilee of Mercy
