St John’s Co-Cathedral has inaugurated Sette Giugno 1919. Memory and Ritual, an exhibition commemorating the events of June 7, 1919, when social and economic tensions under British colonial rule erupted into unrest in Valletta.
Rising food prices, post-war hardship, unemployment and growing dissatisfaction with the colonial administration culminated in the deaths of four Maltese civilians. The events of that historic day became a significant chapter in Malta’s journey towards self-government in 1921 and Independence in 1964.
At the centre of the exhibition is a previously unstudied collection of funerary cartelloni preserved at St John’s. Comprising more than 200 painted funerary emblems dating from the 16th to the 20th century, these works once formed part of elaborate funeral ceremonies for grand masters, Knights of the Order, ecclesiastical dignitaries and prominent families. Displayed alongside the Cappella Ardente, they served as visual expressions of identity, status and remembrance.
Particular focus is given to four rare cartelloni dated June 7, 1919, and traditionally associated with commemorations of the Sette Giugno victims and a high mass celebrated in Floriana two days later, on June 9. Although details of the original ceremony remain unknown, these objects offer a powerful insight into how communities memorialised loss and historical events.
Through these artefacts, the exhibition examines the role of ritual, symbolism and public commemoration in shaping collective memory. It also highlights the continuity and evolution of funerary traditions within Malta’s cultural history.
The exhibition, which is being held in the co-cathedral’s sacristy, includes a dedicated accessibility station featuring tactile 2.5D wooden bas-relief reproductions, audio descriptions and interpretive content, enabling visitors to engage with key objects through touch and sound.
Sette Giugno 1919. Memory and Ritual runs until July 10. Visiting hours are from 9am to 4.45pm and admission isincluded with the standard admission ticket. Admission is free for holders of a valid Maltese ID Card and/or Heritage Malta Passport holders. For more information, visit www.stjohnscocathedral.com.
The exhibition is organised by St John’s Co-Cathedral in collaboration with CRPD – Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability, the National Archives of Malta, Fondazzjoni Fortunato u Enrico Mizzi, and the parish church of St Catherine, Żejtun.
