The Sunday Times of Malta of August 13 carried a report that permanent damage is being caused by amateur restorers to works of art mainly in the ownership of the Catholic Church in Malta and Gozo. The article does rightly bring into question the role of supervisory bodies and the need for a system by which restoration and conservation projects of movable heritage assets are correctly processed, permitted and executed.

The Church Commission for Religious Cultural Patrimony was established by the Episcopal Conference in 2002 also as a result of the Cultural Heritage Act of the same year to give counsel to the Catholic Church in our islands for the safeguarding and promotion of its extremely rich inventory of religious, artistic and historic cultural assets.

The Commission is made up of experienced cultural heritage managers, conservation architects and art historians who voluntarily work to give advice and make firm recommendations to the Church and through it, to its parishes, about the many submissions for conservation and restoration projects that are undertaken. Sometimes the dividing line between conservation and renovation of artefacts that are constantly in use by a thriving Church and its community can be fine indeed.

However, quality, experience and professionalism for any interventions are strictly requested. Applications made to the Commission require mandatory detailed condition reports of a work of art, proposed methodology of work and choice of materials and regular photographic reporting before, during and after a project is executed. The Commission will also process applications made by the various religious orders which, though autonomous in the management of their inventory, may respond to the requests made for projects to be submitted to the Commission for approval.

Fortunately, constant education and communication have raised awareness of the need for quality in conservation, although much still is left to be done

So a system is indeed in place but this may not prevent, as the article claims, maverick restorers skirting the system unnoticed and with parishioners keen bent on embellishing their places of worship and their contents, thankfully because our churches are still thriving centres for our community and still very much in use.

Fortunately, constant education and communication have raised awareness of the need for quality in conservation, although much still is left to be done. The power of example of the work by professionals in the employ of national agencies continues to have a positive impact. The evolution of conservation as a science, and its teaching at university and the centre of restoration has given our islands many professional conservators and restorers. It is a pleasure for the Commission to regularly receive and study many highly proficient applications and reports which are commissioned by the parishes, confraternities, or religious orders undertaking restoration projects.

Yet there are not enough to go round the rich patrimony of our islands and not enough trained to deal with the various expressions that religious art may have, whether it be painting on canvas or on stone, wooden or papier-maché statuary, gilding, textiles, marble, metals or paper, the latter being at the greatest risk of all from incorrect treatment.

A national system for the warranting of conservator restorers has been on the cards and will hopefully be put into place, while the classification of movable cultural inventory will allow for precedence to be given so the correct and timely handling of works of art requiring restoration takes place and funds prioritised. The greatest risk still arises from funds being spent unnecessarily on works of art that have no need of restoration at all, and here the Commission’s function is key, while others requiring urgent treatment, could remain unnoticed.

The unacceptable scenarios painted by the reports in the article may have been true a few years ago, but they have hopefully abated and the Commission will continue to appeal to the parishes and the religious orders to come forward and make use of its services so that vigilant processes are applied in the management of all religious cultural heritage no matter their value or significance. It also welcomes the advice of professionals whose expertise in the subject is invaluable for the better preservation of Malta and Gozo’s unique and priceless treasures.

Simone Mizzi is president of the Catholic Cultural Heritage Commission.