Capuchins Church and Garden

Grand Master de Verdalle proposed to the bishop to invite the Capuchin Order to open a convent in Malta. The first Capuchins set foot in Malta on 10 February 1588. The marble inscriptions on the church façade are quite informative. According to the rules of this Order, their churches and convents had to be built as far away as possible from populated areas so as to maintain the hermitage spirit practiced by the Friars. GM de Verdalle donated this area as it satisfi ed this rule at that time.

The Maltese engineer Girolamo Cassar designed both church and convent. The church is dedicated to the Holy Cross, however, it is popularly known as the Capuchins Church. All the altars in the church are made of wood. The two statues on the façade of the church are those of St Paul and St Publius.