Although the Sanctuary is over a hundred years old, one can admire in it not a few works of art. One ought to stop and linger in front of “St. Peter in Chains”, a masterly work by Mattia Preti (1613-1699), the famous Calabrese painter who decorated St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta. The painting was donated to the church in 1928. The Franciscans were fortunate enough to have had the greatest modern Maltese Painter, Giuseppe Cali’ (1846-1930) work for this Church in 1881. In that year, he painted seven altar pieces of which two have been destroyed during the last war. “Saint Jerome” in considered by art critics as his masterpiece, although others select “The Martyrdom of St. Lawrence” for this honour. Both these altar pieces show Cali’ at his best.

The main apse (1892) is an Affresco of the mentioned Cali’. It shows the Immaculate Conception – doctrine defended by the Scottish Franciscan BL. John Duns Scotus.



The interior part of the dome was recently painted by Paolo Camilleri Cauchi. It shows eight Franciscan Saints. The paintings are in harmony with the fine decoration of the architecture.



 

 



The pulpit was desinged by A. Muscat and the work was carried out by F. Zarb and V. Sammut. It is said to be one of the most exquisite constructions in mahagony and bronze to be met with, in Malta’s churches. In 1978 it was removed from its original place and was erected in the Chapel of St. Paschal Baylon. The Sanctuary, originally built in romansque style, had to undergo many alterations. In fact it is now in the baroque style. The Sanctuary is 45.5 metres long, 25.5 metres wide and 15 metres high, and is cruciform in shape.



The main altar is dedicated to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.



The painting shows her asking the Child Jesus to bestow His blessing on Sliema. During the days preceeding the external feast, the statue is placed under a rich blue velvet canopy. Near the pedestal are placed four solid silver vases with flowers of fine local filigree silverwork.

The aisle offers a heavenly sight on the feast of Our Lady. The sanctuary is adorned with a set of thirteen Bohemian cutglass chandeliers, and the wall is covered with fine red damask tapestry.
The niche, designed by Anthony Cuschieri is a work of art in marble. During the year, the statue of Our Lady is kept there and it is the main attraction for thousands of devotees who flock to the sanctuary to ask her help.

The Chapel on the right, behind the main Altar, was formerly dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament. The white marble altar in it is flanked by two life-size angels holding electric torches. The altar-piece is perhaps the biggest mosaic work in Malta. It portrays a franciscan laybrother. St. Paschal Baylon, adoring the Holy Eucharist. The work was carried out in Venice in 1956.

And now the organ ! Made in Milan, Italy, by the firm Balbiani-Bossi, it has about 1500 pipes. Two keyboards of 61 notes each and a pedal of 30 notes. The wooden balcony, richly gilded and decorated was made in 1938 and is the work of Lorenzo Rocco.