2 comments so far.Priceless paintings to be restored in Ghajnsielem church
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Important paintings in the former parish church in Ghajnsielem are being restored with the financial support of Bank of Valletta, helping to give this historic location more prominence.
The church was built to house a statue to the Blessed Virgin of Loreto, sculpted by a local farmer called Anglu Grech after he saw a vision.
The statue soon became a focal point for people in the village and a chapel was eventually erected to host it in 1810, which was subsequently enlarged over the years, getting to its present size in 1877. It was, however, still too small for the growing population and a new parish church started to be built in 1922.
The titular painting dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto is by Michael Busuttil, while the church also houses no fewer than six masterpieces by the prolific 19th-century Valletta-born artist Giuseppe Cali.
Although Cali’s paintings can be found in many churches, it is rare to find more than one in each, making Ghajnsielem’s church a treasure trove for admirers of his work.
Presenting the sponsorship to Fr Frankie Bajada, Ghajnsielem archpriest, Jack Theuma, Manager of BOV’s Gozo Branch said, “Bank of Valletta is proud to play an active role within the communities in which it operates. Our heritage needs to be preserved.
“Priceless pieces from our past are part of what enrich us today. We have an obligation to pass on what we have inherited to future generations. The expertise and dedication that is being applied to this project will restore these pieces to their original state.”
“We thank Bank of Valletta as one of the first institutions to commit its assistance towards this project. The Ghajnsielem Community and those who visit the church will have the opportunity to admire this painting in all its splendour as was intended by the master who painted it,” said Fr Bajada.
The conservation and restoration work is being carried out by Maltese restorer Manwel Zammit of Zejtun along with Fr Charles Vella and his team.
The paintings by Giuseppe Cali are only being restored by Fr. Charles Vella artist and restorer, and Manuel zammit has only to do with the restored titular painting painted not by G. Cali but by the maltese painter, S. Busutil.
The paintings by Giuseppe Cali are only restored by Fr. Charles Vella artist and restorer