SANTA SCOLASTIKA MONASTERY: DEVOTIONS AND DEVILS
Santa Scolastika Church & Monastery, Birgu
Nestled in the historic town of Vittoriosa, Santa Scolastica Monastery has an exciting past. It was first used as a hospital by the Order of St John in 1530 and helped treat the wounded during the Great Siege of 1565. Later, it became a place where nuns lived, following a strict and prayerful life. But their story also includes a surprising scandal that shocked everyone!
The story of the monastery begins between 1492 and 1496 when a group of Benedictine nuns came from Mdina to open a new community in Vittoriosa. They had to go back to Mdina in 1572 because of safety issues, but returned in 1604, settling in the old Magistral Palace, the former home of the Grand Masters of the Order of St John. However, the palace was small and uncomfortable, so they kept asking for a better place. Finally, in 1643, they moved into the old Holy Infirmary building, which became their permanent home. Over the centuries, the monastery continued to expand, with new rooms and even a well dug in 1717.
The nuns at Santa Scolastica lived by the strict Rule of St Benedict. They made promises to stay single, live with few things of their own, follow orders, and remain in the monastery for life. Their days were filled with prayer, reading religious texts, and spending time in silence. They ate simple meals like vegetable soup, cheese, and eggs, and only had a little wine on special occasions. On Wednesdays and Fridays, they fasted, which meant they did not eat. They weren’t allowed to joke or gossip and only sang on Sundays and special feast days.
The nuns were also trained in nursing, a skill that likely remained from the building’s history as a hospital. There was an infirmary, or a small hospital, within the monastery where the nuns could take care of each other if they got sick. However, when Bishop Cagliares visited in 1615, the beds were empty, so it seems no one was sick at that time.
In the early 17th century, the head nun, called the Abbess, was a woman named Imperia Aquilina. She was responsible for 28 nuns, 7 young novices (nuns-in-training), and 2 helpers who weren’t nuns. She made sure the nuns followed their strict rules but also cared for their health and happiness, even though they lived with very few comforts. In 1679, part of the monastery was rebuilt, and the church, designed by Lorenzo Gafà and funded by a noblewoman named Donna Aloisietta Dorel Pecos, was completed in 1787. Despite their quiet life, the nuns weren’t free from drama. In 1765, the monastery was shaken by a scandal involving a nun named Sister Leonora Muscat. Together with other nuns, she was accused of doing shocking and “pagan” things. According to Sister Rosalta Mifsud, Sister Leonora had supposedly met the Devil, who appeared as a man and had an intimate relationship with him. The nuns said that Sister Leonora even had special cards, which they believed were either created with the Devil’s help or given to her as a gift
These accusations were taken seriously, and Sister Leonora had to go through an embarrassing examination to see if she had an abortion. We don’t know what happened afterwards, though the episode left a lasting mark on the monastery’s history. The nuns continued their routines. They slept fully dressed in a shared dormitory, each with her own small space. A lamp stayed lit all night in the middle of the room so they could start their prayers as soon as the sun rose. They took turns reading spiritual books and learning new things under the guidance of a special teacher called the Magistra.
Benedictine Monastery in Mdina
During the French occupation and World War II, the nuns were forced to flee, returning to the safety of the Benedictine community in Mdina. But they always came back to Santa Scolastica, showing their dedication to their vows and faith. Today, only a few nuns live within the convent at Santa Scolastica, which remains a beautifully preserved place where visitors can still feel the peacefulness and history in its walls.
Written with reference to:
- ‘The Benedictine Nuns Monastery In Vittoriosa’ by Fr Hermann Duncan. Accessed September 2024:https://timesofmalta.com/article/The-Benedictine-nuns-monastery-in-Vittoriosa.619129
- ‘The early modern history of the Maltese harbour towns: Birgu, Bormla and Isla from 1530 to 1630’ by Rachel Grillo, 2023. A dissertation presented to the Faculty of Arts at the University of Malta in part fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Arts in History.
- ‘Women in 18th Century Malta’ by Josanne Vella. Accessed September 2024: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/32032/1/Malta%20Independent%202018_01_27_Women%20in%2018th%20century%20malta.pdf