The parish church of San Bastjan in Qormi is being restored, and after a year’s work the exterior should be looking as new, with Restoration Directorate employees being guided by Perit Hermann Bonnici in their painstaking work.

Culture parliamentary secretary Jose Herrera yesterday had a good look at the work going on and was given a detailed explanation of the work involved.

The church was built near a statue of San Bastjan, put up in thanksgiving for Malta being freed of the pestilence of 1813. Building work started in 1880 and took 10 years because of a cash shortfall. The church’s outstanding feature are its belfries, built at a 45º angle to the facade as the site was on a corner formed by two roads.

The church’s facades are suffering from pollution, including traffic pollution, which combined with the weather to damage them. Where the church is exposed to the wind salt has eaten away at the stone, obliterating architectural details. One of the belfries also has structural damage.

Dr Herrera said international restoration practices are being used and works are now in their second phase.