Ecclesiastical vandalism at Mdina cathedral

In Malta, the Church was the greatest patron of the arts. It commissioned some of the greatest masterpieces for the glory of God and the betterment of the faithful.

The Maltese produced some of the most beautiful ecclesiastical edifices in the world. Among these is the Metropolitan cathedral in Mdina, a masterpiece of baroque art designed in the late 17th century by Lorenzo Gafà.

Throughout the following centuries, several generations did their best to embellish this cathedral. Fortunately, it was spared the ravages of the Second World War, and philistine 'renovators' that, in recent decades, have not left unscathed some of the other beautiful churches in our Archdiocese.

However, it would seem that this is about to change. I am told that the cathedral chapter, which in the past guarded and embellished the cathedral, has decided to undertake works that will destroy what our predecessors worked so hard for.

These pseudo-renovation works will include the removal of two antique marble lecterns and the destruction of two marble platforms which form an integral part of the whole presbytery. One of these platforms holds the Archbishops' cathedra, which will obviously have to be transferred.

The aforementioned lecterns are by Palermitan sculptor Giuseppe Valenti. They were commissioned by the noble Enrico Caruana Dei Conti Gatto, a Canon of the Metropolitan Cathedral Chapter, in 1887.

One may also enquire as to what is to become of the antique Persian carpets that decorate the presbytery and the two marble platforms during the main liturgical feasts. One of these carpets, which came from a Knights' galley, was donated to the cathedral by Antonio Testaferrata in 1692.

What is going to be the fate of the throne of red velvet and wood - one of a pair commissioned by Bishop Labini? What will happen to the two mosaics, depicting the apostles Peter and Paul, which hang above the space proposed to hold the new bishop's chair? How will matching marble be found to complete the paving when the marble platforms are removed?

Is such a reform in accordance with contemporary Catholic liturgical praxis? Surely not. It's enough to call to mind the reason given by the office for the liturgical celebrations of the Pope, for the decision to celebrate at the ancient altar of the Sistine Chapel, last January: "so as not to alter the beauty and harmony of this architectural gem, preserving its structure from the viewpoint of the celebration and making use of a possibility provided for by the liturgical guidelines".

Is our cathedral chapter still in the 1970s, where all that is beautiful and artistic was shunned and barbarically put aside, leaving us with monstrous concrete constructions, which have no artistic or spiritual value whatsoever?

I call upon the competent authorities and all non-governmental organisations that safeguard our heritage to save the cathedral from this maiming. I also appeal to those who have at heart the artistic patrimony of the Church in Malta, which forms a substantial part of the artistic heritage of our island.

When last year the back wall of the cathedral was painted in silverine, the cathedral chapter had insisted that it had all the relevant permits for these works to go ahead. When it transpired that no permits had been granted, the chapter was ordered to undo the damage. If these works on the presbytery are carried out, an important part of our ecclesiastical heritage will be obliterated. It would be a disgrace if this were allowed to occur.