19 ta’ Mejju 2008
STQARRIJA GĦAL ISTAMPA

KONSERVAZZJONI U RESTAWR
TAL-KNISJA PARROKKJALI SANTA KATARINA V.M.
IŻ-ŻEJTUN

Il-knisja taż-Żejtun bdiet tinbena fl-1692 fuq disinn ta’ l-arkitett famuż Malti, Lorenzo Gafa’ u hija meqjusa bħala l-kapolavur tiegħu.  Damet tinbena għexieren ta’ snin u tlestiet f’nofs is-seklu tmintax.   Għalkem f’dawn it-tliet mitt sena saru diversi xogħolijiet ta’ manutenzjoni fuq il-knisja, il-kundizzjoni tal-bini matul dawn l-aħħar snin marret ħafna lura.  Huwa għalhekk li l-parroċċa mbarkat fuq proġett ta’ konservazzjoni u restawr ta’ dan il-monument arkitettoniku.

Ix-xogħol pjanat jinvolvi l-konservazzjoni u restawr tal-faccati kollha tal-knisja u jekk il-finanzi jippermettu huwa maħsub li jkun lest fi żmien sitt snin.  Qed naraw li l-interventi li ser isiru jkunu konformi mal-principji etici ta’ konservazzjoni u restawr hekk kif rikjest minn charters internazzjonali.  Għalhekk ser inkunu kawti ħafna fl-ammont ta’ ġebel li ser jinbidel sabiex insalvaw dak kollu li huwa originali.

Il-progett inbeda billi sar studju dettaljat tal-kundizzjoni tal-faccati kollha u wara sar rapport ta’ konservazzjoni minn espert f’dan il-qasam.  Il-ħsarat li ġew osservati u l-interventi proposti nġabru fuq il-pjanti tal-faccati.  Dawn flimkien mar-rapport tressqu quddiem il-MEPA f’Novembru li għadda u s’issa għadna qed nistennew il-permessi neċessarji qabel ma nibdew ix-xogħol.

Huwa ppjanat li l-ewwel fażi tax-xogħol tkun it-tneħħija tal-kisi bis-siment li sar fis-snin ħamsin u li qiegħed jikkawża ħafna ħsara minħabba li l-umdita’ qed tirrovina l-ġebla li sa ftit żmien ilu kienet gebla tajba.  L-akbar ħsarat li fiha l-knisja huma fil-gwarnicar, fejn kellna wkoll okkażjonijiet li partijiet minnhom waqgħu fuq iz-zuntier b’periklu għal kull min ikun għaddej.

Għalkemm huwa ppjanat li dan ix-xogħol jinqasam f’fażijiet differenti matul numru ta’ snin, proġett bħal dan jirrikjedi ħafna fondi b’mod kontinwu.  Għalhekk il-parroċċa, permezz ta’ kumitat ta’ ġbir ta’ fondi, qegħda tniedi skema wara l-oħra biex naraw li l-fondi meħtieġa jinġabru.  Għalkemm il-qofol tal-ġbir ser ikun ġej mingħand il-parruccani li s’issa dejjem kienu warajna f’kull progett ta’ fejda li kellna fil-parrocca, b’mod partikulari fejn jinvolvi l-ħarsien tal-wirt storiku tagħna. Qed nippruvaw ukoll insibu sponsors u għajnuna finanzjarja minn riżorsi oħrajn. 

Aħna konvinti li bħalma sar ir-restawr tal-knisja l-qadima (Ta’ San Girgor) u bħal ma qiegħed isir issa fuq l-Oratorju, ser inkunu nistgħu f’qasir żmien nibdew ix-xogħol ta’ konservazzjoni u restawr tal-knsija l-kbira, biex b’hekk ngħaddu dan il-monument nazzjonali lill-ġenerazzjonijiet ta’ warajna f’kundizzjoni aħjar milli sibniha aħna.

19th May 2008
PRESS RELEASE

CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION
OF
ST. CATHERINE'S PARISH CHURCH ZEJTUN

Construction of Zejtun Parish Church began in 1692. The design of this church was in the hands of the famous Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafa' and is in fact considered as his masterpiece. The church took decades to build and was completed by the middle of the eighteenth century. Although maintenance works were carried out during these three hundred years, during the past few years the state of the structural building deteriorated rapidly. To this end, the Parish has embarked on a conservation and restoration project to preserve this magnificent monument.

Planned works entail the conservation and restoration of all facades and should be completed in six years time, funds permitting. We are ensuring thatthe restoration process abides by the ethical principles as stipulated by international charters. With this in mind, we shall excercise full cautiousness in replacing the minimum amount of stone slabs possible in order to retain its authenticity. 

A detailed study of all facades was commissioned and a conservation report was drawn by a competent expert in this field. The damage discovered and the proposed intervention were noted in the plans of the facades. These plans, together with the report were eventually submitted to MEPA in November 2007 and in fact we are still awaiting the necessary permits prior to commencement of work.

The first phase shall consist of the removal of plastered cement, which was carried out in the nineteen fifties. This cement cover is hindering the circulation of air and  the damp is ruining the stone slabs. The major faults are in the church's cornices, parts of which broke and ended on the parvis, endangering the lives of passers-by.

We envisage that the work required will be implemented in different phases and hence substantial and regular inflow of funds is crucial. For this purpose, the Parish has set up a fund-rasing committee and is lauching several schemes to collect these vital funds. Although it is expected that the major part of the funds will be contributed by the parishioners - who have always been very supportive towards our parish projects, especially those concerning our local heritage - we shall be seeking other forms of sponsorship and financial aid. 

We are confident that, following the restoration of St Gregory's Church and the current works being carried out on the Oratory, we shall soon be in a position to start this huge restoration project, so that this national and historical gem may be cherished by generations to come.