The largest baroque statue of St Roque in Malta has recently undergone conservation on an initiative by Din l-Art Helwa who commissioned Heritage RestCo to carry out the work. As a result of this work the effigy of the popular pilgrim saint has been returned to its possible original colours.

The statue is to be found in Zebbug, in Main St., in front of the Chapel to St Roque which is held in trust by Din l-Art Helwa.

In Malta there are a number of statues of St Roque as well as paintings in various churches that give testimony to the strong devotion to this pilgrim saint. It is traditionally held that St Roque was saved from the plague by divine intervention. As a result, fervour to this saint grew with each epidemic of plague that reached our islands decimating its population. Records from the years 1592, 1676, 1736, 1813 and even as recently in the 1930s give the number of deaths that occurred from plague and a number of outlying cemeteries were built as a result.

Numerous inhabitants of Zebbug fell victim to this deadly disease but it is said that a statue and chapel erected as a pledge to the pilgrim saint served not just as a gesture of thanksgiving but resulted in an early eradication of the disease in the locality.

The statue of St. Rocco in Main Street – the former principal street of Zebbug from De Rohan Gate to the Parish church, was a free standing statue pre the 18th century before buildings encroached upon it. It is held to be the largest size statue dedicated to this saint in Malta. Its author is unknown but an account by Ciappara in his Storia del Zebbug e sua Parrocchia (1882) page 53, recounts that the image resembles an extraordinary well built priest who lived in the vicinity. The same account relates the date of an indulgence in the year 1736.

Through the conservation work undertaken by conservator-restorers: Ingrid Ross and James Licari, it has been evidenced that there had been several interventions carried out on the statue over the centuries.

During the last restoration more than 40 years ago, cement was used to fix breakages and it was unfortunately painted with unsuitable bright colours that heavily departed from the original. Surface cleaning tests were scientifically undertaken to discover the original pigments used. Iconographical studies were also done to compare this statue with other representational sculptures of this saint in order to identify the possible colours. Much of the original pigments were lost and all the harmful oil- based paints applied in a previous intervention were replaced with lime-based paints, utilizing natural earth colours.

The restoration has been the initiative of Din l-Art Helwa volunteer, Michael Bonnici, who for the last 20 years has been the warden of the Chapel of St Roque in Zebbug. It has been made possible through a joint sponsorship by the Bank of Valletta, HSBC, JMV Quality in Steel Ltd., and the Debono Group.

The chapel of St Roque holds an exhibition dedicated to numerous famous personalities born in Zebbug. It is hoped that the restoration of the statue of St Roque will continue to draw interest to this quaint corner of this ancient village.

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