The Victoria local council has embarked on a restoration project of five statues adorning St Augustine church parvis.

The project is being done by restorer Rudolph Cauchi, under the supervision of architect Edward Scerri and monitored by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage.

St Thomas of Villanova is the first of the five statues to be restored.

According to archivist Fr Peter Paul Cachia, OSA, sculptor Anton Busuttil of Rabat (Malta), nicknamed ‘Zarm Anglu’, assisted by his son Franco, sculpted three statues in limestone, namely St Thomas of Villanova, Our Lady of the Belt and St Nikola of Tolentine in 1869, while Giovanni Caruana sculpted the statue of St Augustine in limestone in October 1771. Caruana also sculpted the statue of Our Mother of Good Counsel, placed on the main door.

The text in the archives of the priory of St Augustine in Gozo says: “One hundred and sixty-three scudi, two tari and eight grains for the cost of three statues and two new pedestals. Two of them, namely St Thomas and St Nichola, with their pedestals, were contributed by the Augustinian Friars from Gozo, several from Valletta, from the Notabile, a few from abroad and benefactors. As for the statue of the Blessed Virgin (of the Belt) it was done at the expense of the Bacc. Br. Lorenzo Cutajar which cost Sc 43..7..4….”

The restoration project is being funded by the Gozo Ministry and the Eco-Gozo Directorate.