Caring for an unequalled world treasure

I refer to the item in Norman Hamilton's My Agenda entitled Expensive Culture (June 21).

The St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation's main aim and concern are the preservation and conservation of St John's Co-Cathedral as a national and international monument. Centuries of poor protection of this unique architectural, historical, artistic and religious treasure have led to very serious deterioration, as a cursory visit to this monument can easily indicate.

Attempting to repair the enormous damage the co-cathedral has suffered in the past is itself already a very expensive enterprise. However, the foundation is making enormous efforts in order to try to bring back its former glory wherever possible. Anybody who has an inkling of the costs would appreciate the enormous investment that has to be made.

The government has been allocating and will continue to provide substantial funds for a number of years. The foundation however is expected to raise funds in order to somehow satisfy the urgent requirements to preserve the co-cathedral for future generations and, incidentally, retain it as a primary attraction to the thousands of tourists who regularly visit this world masterpiece.

Besides, the remuneration of the staff that needs to be deployed at the co-cathedral is a very substantial recurrent expenditure. Hence, the absolute need for an entrance fee during certain hours of the day. Admission is free during religious services and for those who visit the church to pray. The members of the council of the foundation carry out their dedicated work as a public service and expect and receive no remuneration whatsoever.

It seems necessary to point out that St John's was built as a church for the use of the Knights and their congregation and not as a purposely-built museum. Therefore, its capacity to absorb a large number of visitors at any one time is necessarily limited. Moreover, the unique floor of the co-cathedral needs to be protected. Hence, the foundation's investment in the specialised protective carpet and the restrictions in the visitors' movements around the church. Although waiting may be inconvenient and it is not something that the management can easily solve, one must appreciate the great harm caused by fast rising temperatures and relative humidity levels (caused by aspiration and body heat throughout the co-cathedral) - this is particularly harmful to the very limited space in the oratory where the famous Beheading of Saint John and St Jerome, by Caravaggio, are displayed. That is why the number of visitors to the oratory at any one time is very restricted.

One needs to note also the damage that may be caused by abrasion to the tombstones and the delicate wall carvings when large crowds enter the co-cathedral at the same time. The passages between the chapels are narrow, they were designed for only single individuals passing through. Obviously one needs to be sensitive to and appreciative of works of art to realise this negative impact on our co-cathedral.

Tourists often come in large groups causing congestion in the church which was not designed to have such large numbers of roaming visitors. Hence, entry needs to be staggered for conservation reasons; it is not the result of the inefficiency of the ticket operators. It is unfortunate that cruise liners visit Malta almost exclusively on Mondays and Fridays, therefore creating congestion not only at St John's but throughout the city. This is not within the control of the foundation. The particular day mentioned in the article, June 8, was, in fact, a Friday when four cruise liners visited Malta in one day.

If Mr Hamilton's clients entered as a group with prepaid vouchers - as normally happens when groups are catered for by an agent - they do not need to wait as if each individual member of the group were paying for a single ticket. Moreover, the ticket value is Lm1.87 each for the groups - which, by the way, also include the service of an audio guide - a far cry when compared to fees museums overseas charge.

Comparison was made to the free entrance to the British Museum, which can do so because it is supported by millions of pounds of state funds. Yet, Westminster Abbey, which has an entrance fee of £10 with an additional £4 for the audio guide, there too, one has to wait to enter, often in the cold and rain.

Mr Hamilton should view the entrance fee as an investment to preserve the cathedral for the Maltese people as well as for his future clients to enjoy.

Conservation projects are constantly being carried out by the foundation which often run into several thousands of liri, such as the restoration of the tapestries and paintings and the triumphal arches besides the very demanding regular maintenance of the entire building.

Some of Mr Hamilton's remarks actually refer to the various ongoing activities at St John's.

One needs hardly remind all concerned that the St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation is only the church's current caretaker as delegated by the Church and the state. As such, it is in duty bound to pass on this precious monument in the best possible condition to future generations. The foundation is not concerned with the profit that can be presently generated - it is solely concerned with the raising of funds to preserve this unequalled world treasure. Abandoning the co-cathedral to decay would be an enormous loss to the tourism industry itself.

Mr Hamilton, the foundation does care.

Ms de Giorgio is curator of St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation.