The Christ the Redeemer Niche at the entrance to Marsaxlokk will be restored by the Restoration Directorate in a process which is expected to take around four months.

 This niche, dedicated to Christ the Redeemer was constructed in the late 19th century.  Two dates attest to this fact: the year 1883 is inscribed at the back of the niche’s pediment, whereas the year 1884 is mentioned in the marble plaque, commemorating the granting of the indulgenza plenaria, located on the niche’s façade. 

The plaque states that by decree of Pope Leo XIII all those who recite the Creed three times before the statue will be granted 300 days of indulgence.

It is said that the papier-mâché statue housed within the niche originally belonged to the parish church of Zejtun and was later donated to the village of Marsaxlokk.

“Through interventions of this nature, we are further fulfilling our strategy to promote our local culture and heritage. This niche is a landmark upon entering Marsaxlokk, and it is a well-known monument for locals. It is our duty to preserve its legacy, through careful restoration and interventions, whilst also enhancing our local cultural product,” Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government Owen Bonnici, under whose remit the Restoration Directorate falls, said on site.

Restoration interventions on the niche will include the careful cleaning of the stone surface from the various superficial deposits accumulated during the years and the manual removal of redundant cables and wires. The Restoration Directorate will moreover be liaising with the Local Council to ensure that the projecting floodlight is removed or replaced by a less visually intrusive light fitting.

Since it is evident that, if not from its inception at least for the grand majority of its lifespan, the niche has been rendered, it is being proposed that the niche be re-rendered during the restoration works.

Open mortar joints will be repointed and lime based paints shall be used, in preference to the existing oil/ plastic emulsion paints, as the former are physically and chemically more compatible with local stone and visually more respectful of the historical nature of the niche than the latter.  

Further investigations are however required to determine the colour scheme to be adopted as it is evident that the existing uppermost paint layers conceal older coloured rendering beneath them.  Such investigations shall be progressively executed during the restoration works.