The Church of the Circumcision of Our Lord, known as the Church of the Jesuits, stands in Valletta next to the Old University Building. The Jesuits built it as part of a complex that included the Collegium Melitense. Foundations were laid in November 1593, and construction was completed in 1609. The plan follows the Church of the Gesù in Rome, with a four-bay nave and seven side chapels.
A gunpowder factory explosion on September 12, 1634 caused serious damage. Francesco Buonamici, a Luccan architect and engineer, rebuilt most of the church, including its facade. The style is Baroque, with a Doric interior of limestone.
The altarpiece by Filippo Paladini shows the Circumcision of Jesus. After the Jesuits were expelled in 1768, the University of Malta was established in 1769. It hosts university graduation ceremonies today.
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