An intensive research and study on the conservation of bells in the Maltese Islands undertaken by campanologist Kenneth Cauchi highlighted the historical and artistic value of various prestigious local bells.

In view of this study, a proposal was put forward to Msgr Aloysius Deguara, the Deputy of the Metropolitan Cathedral Chapter. After lengthy discussions and consultations the Chapter gave its approval to start on the conservation/restoration of a prestigious bell dating back to the medieval period, which until recently was rung daily from the northwest belfry of Mdina Cathedral.

Cast in 1370 by the Venetian brothers and bell-founders Nicholas and Victor, the bell is the only local medieval campanological specimen still in situ and also the oldest bell on the island. The decision to remove the bell from the belfry was taken on the basis that it is an extremely rare example of medieval campanological art worldwide. Apart from the fact that continued use could possibly risk cracking it, rendering the bell toneless in the process.

The bell’s musical timbre is typically medieval and gives one an impression of what bell sounds were like in this period. In this respect the bell did not musically complement the other Cathedral bells, cast much later, since by then bell founding had produced a completely different bell profile and an overall different musical timbre.

The bell was originally cast for the original Gothic Cathedral destroyed in the earthquake of 1693. It is in fact one of the few mementos that survived from the original Episcopal edifice. The bell was lowered from the Cathedral belfry in 1645 and christened and consecrated Petronilla in honour of St Peter on 7 August by Bishop Miguel Juan Balaguer Camarasa (1635 – 1663).

Petronilla’s profile is technically referred to as “sugarloaf” as it is very elongated with a set of thick and high suspending canons. The waist of the bell is complemented by low relief cast decoration depicting St Paul with a raised sword in his left hand, typical of medieval iconography of the Apostle.

The remaining sides of Petronilla are adorned with three armorial shields depicting a rampant lion, possibly manifesting the symbol of St Mark the Evangelist, Patron Saint of Venice were the bell was cast. The lower waist above the soundbow of the bell is adorned with an inscription in decorative Gothic font stating the year of casting, the names of the founder brothers and the matrix city.

The removal of the bell from the belfry for the proposed conservation project took place recently. Weighing over a tonne, the bell was lowered from the belfry in a very delicate and complicated operation planned more then a year ago. Its vacated arch in the belfry has now been occupied by the Cathedral’s treble bell, Publia, cast in 1958.

Petronilla was placed in the Cathedral vestry and was treated on site by Mr Cauchi in an arduous job that involved the removal of three coatings of paint that had been applied in error to the crown of the bell some years back. Other conservation treatment work consisted in the removal of various corrosion products, and rust stains. Corrosion inhibitors and protective coatings to conserve the malachite noble bronze patina were applied to the surface of the bell after cleaning.

It is the intention that following conservation treatment, Petronilla will be exhibited permanently in the Mdina Cathedral Museum.