Gozo Cathedral chapel paintings restored

The chapel of the Blessed Sacrament within the Gozo Cathedral has been returned to its resplendent glory with the decorations re-gilded and the paintings restored.

Gozitan gilder Ruben Farrugia and Emmanuel Zammit have been working on the chapel for the past year in an attempt to eradicate the soot that had blackened the chapel.

Mr Zammit said that many worshippers used to light candles in adoration and as a result the dome had become black and the paintings were flaking off the stone. To make matters worse, in an attempt to delay the damage, predecessors had painted over varnish.

"It took a lot of effort to restore the paintings of the cupola to their original state," he said.

The works of art along the cupola and the four lunettes, painted by Roman artist Filippo Venuti in 1897 represent The Miracle of the Manna in the Desert. The artist also painted the panel, which shows Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac.

Meanwhile, Mr Farrugia also restored the monument of Giovanni Castelletti, founder of the chapel of St Catherine of Alexandria, in the old church.

The public can witness the hard work of these two artists in the run-up to the feast of Santa Marija, being celebrated on Tuesday.