Santa Venera’s eponymous statue is back at its parish home in time for this weekend’s village feast after a year-long restoration job by an Mdina gilder.

The statue is typical of the neoclassical style in vogue in the 1900s.

The statue, commissioned in 1918 and which made its first public appearance at the 1919 village feast, was restored to its former glory by Kevin Farrugia, who knows a thing or two about the profession.

Mr Farrugia is a fourth-generation gilder, having learnt the trade from his father.

His great-grandfather, Joe Farrugia, whose name is emblazoned on his quaint, green-shuttered Mdina workshop, established his business in the 1930s.

The original statue was made by Karmenu Mallia, known as The Jew, from Qormi.

Typical of the neoclassical style which was in vogue in the 1900s, the statue has been restored twice, but it has never been gilded so thoroughly.

The restoration process started a week after last year’s feast of Santa Venera. The parish priest, Fr Maurice Abela O. Carm, says it took a year to raise enough money to finance the job.

The restored statue will be on display at the Santa Venera parish church throughout this week and will assume its place at centre-stage on Sunday.

St Venera is remembered as a Christian martyr of the second century. She preached the gospel, which was uncommon for a woman of the era.

Fourth-generation gilder Kevin Farrugia puts the finishing touches on the statue.