The first national exhibition of statues and statuettes relating to Holy Week, organised by Heritage Malta, will be held at the Inquisitor's Palace, in Vittoriosa.

The exhibition opens today and will feature works by past and contemporary Maltese artists from private and national collections. Artefacts from Heritage Malta's ethnographic collection will be put on show for the first time.

The majority of the statues and statuettes are artistic pieces such as the Redeemer by Italian baroque era sculptor Alessando Algardi which will be brought in from the National Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta.

There will also be two sets of statuettes depicting the various stages and episodes of Christ's passion made available by two of Heritage Malta employees.

The exhibition will act as a showcase for local artists who may not feature in national museums but still form part of the country's national cultural heritage.

The exhibition will run until April 19 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. with special opening hours on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on April 7 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Maundy Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Good Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.