Metadata from 60 volumes of Series 14, Deliberations, 4. Deliberations of the Langue of Italy, ca. 1300-1800, of the Archives of the Order of Malta housed in the National Library of Malta have been added to vHMML Reading Room. Records pertaining to the activities and administration of the Langue of Italy of the Order of St. John, of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta and its decision-making bodies. Records include deliberations, correspondence, accounts, rolls, lists, indexes, acts, and reports.

HMML recently completed cataloging manuscripts from the Monastery of Mor Gabriel in Tur ‘Abdin, Turkey.  Digitization of the 250 manuscripts was completed in 2010. While the manuscripts from this collection have been available on vHMML, the collection is now fully searchable because of the work of HMML cataloger, Josh Mugler.

“This collection is significant not so much because of its age--the oldest seem to be from the 15thcentury-- but because they bear witness to the Syriac region’s rich cultural tradition of producing very fine manuscripts,” explains David Calabro,  HMML’s curator of eastern Christian and Islamic manuscripts. “An example of this can be seen in MGMT 52, an Evangelion (a book of liturgical readings from the Gospels) dated to 1867. The manuscript is gorgeously decorated and illustrated. Take a look at the very end of the manuscript. You may be surprised to see an image commemorating the then-recent construction of a telegraph line from Istanbul to Baghdad!”

To see more examples from the collection go to vHMML.org Reading Room and type MGMT in the HMML Project Number Field (Syriac is read right to left, so click on arrow to left to view the manuscript). For questions about the collections, contact Dr. David Calabro.

vHMML Museum is now availible. The new application in vHMML allows users to digitally access HMML's art collections, including the Arca Artium Collection donated by Frank Kacmarcik, the Richard Hadley Slide Collection, and the art collections of MUŻA - Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arti digitized by HMML's Malta Study Center. https://www.vhmml.org/museum

Metadata from 1640 volumes of the Curia Episcopalis Melitensis of the Cathedral Archives of Mdina, Malta, have been added to vHMML Reading Room. These records include all series within the CEM Collection, including Acta Originalia, Conti, Registra, Repertoria, and other series. The collection contains material that was combined into a single archive in the 1970s, originating from at least four different archives prior to the French occupation of Malta in 1798. View now

Metadata from 878 volumes of the Archivum Cathedralis Melitensis Official Records Section of the Cathedral Archives of Mdina, Malta, have been added to vHMML Reading Room. The Archivum Cathedralis Melitensis Official Records comprise the official records of the Cathedral Chapter meetings and the various administrations of the Chapter. The officials of the Chapter included the chancellor (who was often a notary whose acts acquired legal value), two procurators (one chosen by the bishop and one by the Chapter), a depositario, a deputy for the archives, a deputy for music, and other minor officials. The minutes of the Chapter meeting of 1419 are the oldest records of this division. This group is made up of 24 sections. View now

Metadata from 186 volumes of Series 2, Libri conciliorum, 1459-1798, of the Archives of the Order of Malta housed in the National Library of Malta have been added to vHMML Reading Room. Documents recording the activities and meetings of the Council of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta. Registers include originals (libri conciliorum), minutes (libri minutarium) and copies of proceedings, deliberations, decrees, and judgments concerning admissions, collations of priories, bailiwicks, and commanderies, dignities and titles, diplomatic correspondence, instructions for ambassadors and members of the Order, passports, and military, administrative and judicial matters. View now

Metadata from 18 volumes of Series 8, Petitions, 1603-1798, of the Archives of the Order of Malta housed in the National Library of Malta have been added to vHMML Reading Room. Records concerning petitions (suppliche) and requests addressed to the Grand Masters of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta. Records include rescripts (rescritti) and reports of the Giurati, of members, and officials of the Order of Saint John. Volumes include documents related to and in support of petitions. Alphabetical repertory of the volumes is also included. View now

Metadata from 141 volumes of the Fondo Panzavecchia of the Cathedral Archives of Mdina, Malta, have been added to vHMML Reading Room. Records include the writings of Fortunato Panzavecchia, including his diaries, encyclopedia, translation of the Bible, historical works, letters, writings on education, correspondence, writings on the Maltese language, journalism, and other works. Records include maritime and legal records of Giuliano Panzavecchia, the writings of Ignazio Panzavecchia, and other famaily papers. View now

Metadata from 580 volumes of the Archives of the Inquisition of Malta Acta Civilia of the Cathedral Archives of Mdina, Malta, have been added to vHMML Reading Room. The Civil Tribunal of the Inquisition handled cases of patentees of the Holy Office, which were under the jurisdiction of the Inquisitor and outside the jurisdiction of the courts established by the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. The patentees were made up of three classes, officiali, who helped run the Holy Office, famigliari, friends of the Holy Office, and gabellotti, the Inquisitor's tenant farmers. The tribunal was headed by the Inquisitor. The manuscripts were microfilmed by the Malta Study Center as a private library during the 1970s. View now

Metadata from 36 volumes of the Fondo Gesuiti of the Cathedral Archives of Mdina, Malta, have been added to vHMML Reading Room. Records include account books and indices of the Collegio della Compagnia di Gesù, dating from 1631 to 1778. Records include account books prepared by Leopoldo Abbate after the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1768. The manuscripts were microfilmed by the Malta Study Center as a private library during the 1970s. View now

Metadata from  235 music manuscript from the Gauci Music Collection at the Cathedral Music Archives in Gozo have been added to vHMML Reading Room. The collection was donated to the Cathedral Museum Music Archives in 2004 August 14 by the joint owners Monsignor Anton Gauci (1925-2013), Monsignor Joseph Gauci (1932-), and Monsignor Giovanni-Bosco Gauci (1938-2017). The manuscripts were microfilmed by the Malta Study Center as a private library during the 1980s. Composers include Francesco Azopardi, Vincenzo Bondi, Giorgio Mercieca, Vincenzo Napoleone Mifsud, Cesare Vassallo, among others. View now

Metadata from 320 volumes of Series 5, Libri bullarum, 1346-1798, of the Archives of the Order of Malta housed in the National Library of Malta have been added to vHMML Reading Room. Records pertaining the activity of the Chancery of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta. Registers include copies or registration (libri bullarum) and minutes (libri minutarium) of magistral and conventual decrees concerning admissions, collations of priories, bailiwicks, and commanderies, dignities and titles, diplomatic correspondence, instructions for ambassadors and members of the Order, passports, and military and administrative matters. View now

Metadata from 181 volumes of Series 12, The Navy, ca. 1500-1798, of the Archives of the Order of Malta housed in the National Library of Malta have been added to vHMML Reading Room. Records pertaining the Congregation of the Galleys (Congregazione delle Galere) and the Congregation of the Vessels (Congregazione delle Navi) of the Order of St. John, of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta. View now

Metadata for 256 records from the Stiftsbibliothek in Schlägl, Austria, is now in vHMML Reading Room. The collection includes microfilmed manuscripts [b&w and color] containing medieval and early modern theological and philosophical texts from the Premonstratensian monastic library and scientific texts of Bohemian humanist Johannes von Rabenstein. View now

Metadata from 47 volumes of Series 11, The Hospital, 1590-1798, of the Archives of the Order of Malta housed in the National Library of Malta have been added to vHMML Reading Room. Records pertaining to the activities and administration of the Hospital or Holy Infirmary (Sacra Infermeria) of the Order of St. John, of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta. Records include rules, statutes, accounts, wills, indexes, and lists of personnel. Volumes include printed and manuscript material. View now

The improved metadata for 926 archival objects of the Archives of the Benedictine Monestir de Sant Pere de les Puel·les, Barcelona (Catalunya), Spain, have been added to vHMML Reading Room. This includes records for all the main series, over 1000 parchments dating back to the 10th century, and over 100 notarial registers deposited at the archive. The archive was microfilmed in the 1970s as part of HMML's work in Spain. View now

Metadata for 127 manuscript from Stiftsbibliothek Michaelbeuern, from the Benedictine Abbey of Michaelbeuern, Austria, have been added to vHMML Reading Room. The manuscripts from this library were microfilmed by HMML, and included important collections of sermons, liturgical books, and theological writings. View now

The improved metadata for the 1441 records of the Arxiu Diocesà de Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain, have been added to vHMML Reading Room. This includes records for all the main series, parish notarial registers, Arxiu de la Croada, and several monastic archives now permanently deposited at the Arxiu Diocesà. The archive was microfilmed in the 1970s as part of HMML's work in Spain. View now

The metadata for 383 manuscripts of the Archives of the Inquisition Reverenda Fabrica fonds at the Cathedral Archives in Mdina, Malta were added to vHMML. The Tribunal Reverendae Fabricae Sancti Petri Urbe was active in Malta from 1626 September 19 until dissolution by the French in 1798. View now

The metadata for 308 manuscripts from the Biblioteca statale del Monumento nazionale Monastero di S. Scolastica were added to vHMML Reading Room. HMML’s short history of microfilming projects in Italy preceded the initial work in Austria. Subiaco was one of three monasteries microfilmed. The Monastero di S. Scolastica is digitizing several of their manuscripts, and we have linked to Manus OnLine were some images are availible. Links to major bibliographies have also been added. View now