Few can remember ever seeing the Cappella Ardente in St John’s Co-Cathedral, which was last displayed in 1963. However, the 18th century wooden catafalque is being saved from the brink of deterioration and could stand 10 metres tall once its restoration is over.
Left to rot in the humid subterranean Bartolott crypt for half a century and a victim of insect infestation, its restoration will be completed by local firm ReCoop in a few months. However, it may have to remain in storage anyway, due to the lack of space in the Co-Cathedral for such a massive structure.
The Cappella Ardente is a mountain of woodwork and candles designed by architect Romano Carapecchia. It was used during mourning ceremonies on the death of important members of the Order of the Knights of St John and of the Church, the last being Pope John XXIII.
The catafalque is one of the many conservation projects at St John’s Co-Cathedral, which have so far cost €3 million. The building is a hive of silent and meticulous activity, leaving its sacred facet undisturbed.
Down below, in the frescoed Grand Master’s Crypt − which again has not been viewed by the public for a while − a team of restorers from the Courtauld Institute of London is busy treating the powdering stonework of the sarcophagi of 12 important knights and saving them from disintegration due to fluctuating humidity.
Once the project is completed in October, the public will be able to view the crypt from a window to maintain a stable environment that can guarantee its long-term conservation.
These hidden treasures were yesterday visited by a mesmerised Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who never ceases to marvel at the “unique treasure” of St John’s.
Dr Gonzi once envisaged that the public would need to wear sunglasses on entering the Co-Cathedral and, indeed, the restored chapels were glistening – particularly that of the Blessed Sacrament, which was recently restored.
He scrutinised the work that is under way on the atriums that lead to the north and south doorways. Here the difference between the old and the new stands out, as restorers apply 24-carat gold leaf that has been destroyed over the years due to humidity on the walls and domes. Work on these should be ready by May, said ReCoop director Paul Muscat.
Dr Gonzi suggested leaving one chapel untouched “not to forget the disaster before and appreciate the work that has been done”. There is, in fact, a plan to leave one square metre to highlight the contrast, said Cynthia de Giorgio, the Co-Cathedral’s curator.
Dr Gonzi paid tribute to the work of the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation, which was set up in 2001. It has injected money raised from activities and tourist visits – about 400,000 annually – into reviving its glory.
Two more tapestries of the collection of 29 arrived from Belgium on Wednesday and another two were sent some weeks ago, taking the number restored to six, he was told.
Meanwhile, in a workshop below the Co-Cathedral, marmista Jesmond Bartolo has been working for five months on a tombstone that dates back to 1668. His “labour of love” involved researching around 400 others to be able to replicate the missing angels.
Observing his workmanship, Dr Gonzi admitted these intricate tombstones – a carpet of 420 – were the reason why he could never pay attention when he attended Mass at St John’s.
He took the opportunity to announce that the magnificent historical monument will be the venue for a concert by the Laudate Pueri Choir on April 28 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Malta’s national poet, Dun Karm.