The restored Siculo-Byzantinesque painting of Our Lady of Mellieħa depicting the Madonna and Child was officially inaugurated by Archbishop Charles Scicluna during a ceremony held at the Mellieħa Sanctuary.

Visitors to the sanctuary can now admire the 14th century painting which includes various inscriptions of historical value uncovered during the restoration process.

“The Sanctuary dates back to the 14th century and probably further back,” said Fr Joe Caruana, Mellieħa parish priest. “Historical records show that this location was a site of devotion and on the pilgrimage route despite Mellieħa being well off the beaten track, especially at those times.

“Newly uncovered symbols and engravings will continue to be studied. This might yield more light on Christianity in Malta and on the role of the sanctuary.”

Valentina Lupo from Atelier del Restauro explained how layers of varnish and paint from previous restoration processes were removed to allow the painting to ‘breathe’ and allow salts from the rock to naturally dissipate from the rock, thus not damaging the pictorial layer.

“We then consolidated the existing sections of the painting and reconstructed missing sections according to restoration ethics to ensure an eye-pleasing image while making a clear distinction between the original painting and the restores areas,” she said.

“This is a project we followed very closely and are very proud to have partnered,” Bank of Valletta CEO Mario Mallia said.

“As an active citizen within the Maltese community, we pride ourselves in supporting projects that conserve Malta’s rich cultural heritage. This is an important aspect of what makes us Maltese,” he added.

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