Century-old statue being restored

Restoration works have started on the 120-year-old statue of St Andrew which dominates Xlendi bay, as part of a project by the Gozo Ministry and the Munxar local council.

St Andrew is the patron saint of fishermen. Xlendi, together with Marsalforn and Mgarr, is one of the more popular fishing villages in Gozo.

The statue was inaugurated in June 1882 by the then Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Giovanni Maria Camilleri. In 1901, the same bishop instituted a 40-day indulgence to those who recited prayers in front of this statue. Both the limestone statue and its base structure have been periodically rendered with plaster and/or paint layers.

The statue has been exposed to the elements for more than 120 years and mainly because of its proximity to the sea, it is now in a dire need of restoration.

The works, which started this week, consist of the removal of the various cement and paint layers in order to expose the original features of the sculpture. This will lead to consolidation works and the final application of a protective paint layer.

The material used has been purchased by the council, while work is being carried out by employees of the ministry's Department for Projects and Development.