Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, recently paid a visit to Our Lady of Victories Church in Valletta to view the ongoing restorative works, as part of the Royal tour to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 70th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta.
The visit to the church was organised by the British High Commission. The HSBC Malta Foundation’s contribution towards the restoration of Church’s ceiling vaults has distinguished the Foundation as a ‘Principal Valued Partner’ in what has become known as ‘The Victory Team’ of supporting partners.
“Through this initiative, Malta’s national trust Din L-Art Helwa aims to restore, conserve and enhance Our Lady of Victory Church which, as the first church of the capital, is intricately linked to the City’s foundation and history,” said HSBC Malta CEO Mark Watkinson. “The conservation of Malta’s heritage is a large-scale responsibility that requires the greatest care and attention. In recognition of this, the safeguarding of Malta’s historic and cultural heritage is one of the HSBC Malta Foundation’s three main pillars, standing alongside its commitments towards supporting disadvantaged children and the environment.”
The HSBC Malta Foundation’s contribution helped finance in a very significant manner the planned and ongoing restoration of the Church’s vault ceiling, adorned with painting by the Maltese artist Alessio Erardi (1669-1727). “One may already notice a marked improvement of the Erardi’s masterpiece as Din L-Art Helwa’s assigned team of expert bring the vault’s invaluable artwork back to life,” noted Mark Watkinson.
Photo shows The Duke of Gloucester viewing the restorative work during his recent visit to the Church of Our Lady of Victory, together with (from left) Monsignor Anton Galea, HSBC Malta CEO Mark Watkinson, Maria Grazia Cassar, and Din L-Art Helwa President Simone Mizzi.