Archives of the Veneranda Assemblea dei Cappellani Conventuali (AVA) (776 mss)
The Archives of the Veneranda Assemblea of the Chaplains of the Order of Malta
The presence of these volumes under the care of the Cathedral Archives calls for an explanation. The Order of St John was formed of knights and chaplains. The chaplains assisted the knights in spiritual matters by celebrating masses, giving sermons, hearing confessions and assisting the knights in caravans on the galleys of the Order.
The conventual chaplains of all the knights together formed the Venerable Assembly of Conventual Chaplains. The assembly was responsible for the reception of new chaplains, the admonition of all chaplains and the administration of the property of the assembly. As it had amassed a considerable amount of property spread all over the island, it was administered by various procurators who were responsible also for fulfilling a large number of mass legacies. Among these were the Procura Antiana, Procura Fiarnalda and Procura delle Distribuzioni.
The records of these administrations were normally kept in the Sacristies of the Conventual Church of St John in Valletta, but later in the early 19th century these premises were needed for the conservation of the tapestries. The books were then transferred partly to the Mdina Cathedral, partly to the Curia and partly to the National Library.