Vodafone Malta Foundation and HSBC Cares For Malta’s Heritage Fund have presented a donation to the Office for Rehabilitation Projects within the Ministry for Resources and Infrastructure for the restoration of one of the most important treasures at the Mdina Cathedral.

The restoration of the 15 silver statues known as “L’Apostolato” is being entrusted to the Sante Guido Restauro Opere d’Arte. The donation was received by Metropolitan Chapter chancellor Mgr Lawrence Cachia.

The 15 statues represent the figures of the 12 Apostles together with the Virgin Mary, St John the Baptist and St Paul.

They are realised in thin sheet in silver whipped on a supporting structure of wood. Some of the decorative elements and engraving are bronze gilded and golden silver.

The 15 statues, which are approximately 110 centimetres tall, originally stood on the main altar of St John’s Co-Cathedral, in Valletta. Today kept in the Cathedral in Mdina, the statues were made in Rome in 1740 by sculptor Antonio Arrighi and are considered to be some of the most interesting examples of the antique production and craft of the Roman goldsmith.

Mrs Gemma Mifsud Bonnici, chairperson of Vodafone Malta Foundation, said that the Foundation was proud to contribute towards restoring such precious works of art that are part of our heritage.

“This presentation is in line with the Vodafone Foundation’s mission statement of contributing towards the community in which Vodafone operates,” she said.

“The restoration and preservation of precious artefacts gives us great satisfaction,” said HSBC Cares For Malta’s Heritage Fund director Maurice DeGiorgio. “Our commitment to this cause is spurred by the knowledge that we are salvaging our Maltese heritage, as well as our collective memory, for generations to come.”

Ms Denise Formosa Gruppetta, Vodafone Malta Foundation’s Administrator, and Mr David Demarco, Chief Financial Officer at HSBC, attended the presentation.