The Crypt

All parishes in Malta normally had a crypt (populary known as Kennerja – Charnel House) built beneath the parish church in which most of the parishioners would be buried, except those who had a family tomb in an open air cemetery. There are 3 Charnel houses in the Cathedral, two of which are privately owned. Following changes in government regulations related to hygiene and health, burials in charnel houses were suspended.

The Mdina Metropolitan Cathedral’s main charnel house can be accessed through concealed stairs located in the Chapel of St. Luke.

The crypt is opened to the general public in November, the month dedicated to souls in purgatory, to allow them to visit and pay respect to their relatives buried beneath the Cathedral. The Mdina Cathedral’s main charnel house is made up of four sections . The first and largest area is reserved for the burial of parishioners, whilst another area is reserved for the clergy.

The last part of the crypt is the Ossuary which is a room in which the human bones and remains from cleared up tombs are kept. This process was needed to clear tombs to make space for new burials.

Bishop – Paul Alphéran de Bussan, 1728 – 1757.

On March 8, 1728, Pope Benedict XIII appointed Paul Alphéran de Bussan as Bishop of Malta. He was consecrated by the same Pope on March 14th of the same year. In 1733 Bishop Alphéran de Bussan built the Mdina seminary, now the Cathedral Museum.