300-year-old Senglea statue to undergo restoration

The much-revered statue of Christ the Redeemer in Senglea will undergo restoration works, estimated to cost €40,000.

A number of studies have been conducted involving both Maltese and foreign nationals as well as entities such as the Consiglio Nazionale della Ricerca, Florence, and the Conservation Division from Heritage Malta.

The statue is said to be over 300 years old, and is taken out three times a year – in March, on Good Friday and in June.

The statue attracts many Maltese who come to pray and ask for cures for illnesses. During Lent, devotion to the statue increases as Maltese from all over the island come to express their devotion.

The statue’s history dates back to 1714 – documents show that around this date, a procession including a number of statues were used on Good Friday. There are strong indications that the statue of Christ the Redeemer was one of those statues.

According to information handed to the press by the Archpriest of the Senglea Parish, the Collegiate Chapter of Senglea commissioned the directors of Atelier Del Restauro Ltd in September 2014 to undertake a study regarding the state of the statue.

This study ended in September 2015, and helped identify the material which was used, the original technical details of the manufacturing process, past restorative works, and the present condition. A borescope was used for close inspection of the inner structure of the statue, and X-rays were also used for the entire statue, as well as specialised X-rays for the more intricate details. These methods were chosen in order to minimise any invasive procedures on the material of the statue.

The study concluded that the internal structure of the statue is stable. It found, however, cracks in the paint and stone, the wrong colours used in past restorations and some other issues.

The statue has undergone a number of different interventions in the past, and painted over areas have covered up the original colouring.

The restoration will be handled by Atelier del Restauro.

Archpriest Robin Camilleri said that the project has all the necessary permits from both the Curia and from the Catholic Cultural Heritage Commission. Work is intended to begin in May and is expected to take nine months. As such, he said, the June procession will need to be cancelled.

The first step, from a restoration aspect, will take place this coming March and will basically include documenting each part of the statue through photographs and marking where deterioration can be seen on a graphic representation.

The restoration itself will include cleaning parts of the statue, removing some of the paint which was used in past interventions in an attempt to bring back some of the original colour (for example on the hands and feet), and the consolidation of the papier-mâché and base material. The works are expected to conclude by February 2018.

In addition, the area where the statue is kept will be monitored for a year, to ensure that the climate is adequate for the statue. The whole process will be documented in a detailed report.

Valentina Lupo, from Atelier Del Restauro, said that the interventions will be done with the aim of conserving the statue for the long-term.

The Archpriest said that an informative meeting for the public on the restoration and conservation of the statue will be held on 2 March at 6.30pm at the Senglea Parish Church.

In addition, there will be specific dates during the restoration process where the public will be able to view the work carried out, and the dates will be communicated in the future.

Due to the cost of the works, the Parish has appealed to the public for donations.