Restoration On Marsa Chapel Damaged in WW2 Almost Complete
The Chapel of Our Lady of Divine Grace, also known as Madonna ta’ Ċejlu, was built in 1870 as part of the Porto Nuovo development to serve the community of Marsa. During an air raid on April 8th, 1942, the chapel suffered damage to its façade and cross.
It is currently undergoing restoration works which are expected to be completed by July 2023. This particular chapel is one of the ten projects selected from the Local Councils Scheme Call of 2020/21 and was proposed by the Marsa Local Council.
All the works – from site documentation to planning permit applications, to subsequent site works – have been carried out by the Restoration Directorate.
During a recent visit, Minister for the National Heritage Owen Bonnici emphasised the importance of restoring historical churches not only to preserve their cultural and historical value but also to maintain their architectural integrity for future generations.
“We are committed to preserving and taking care of similar places that continue to serve as a valuable piece of our collective history,” he added.
Minister Bonnici also expressed his gratitude to the Marsa local council for their hard work and proactive approach in addressing the restoration of the chapel.
Perit Audrey Anne Bonnici, who is overseeing the restoration project, explained that the works mainly consist of cleaning the façade and bell towers, pointing open joints with a lime-based mortar, replacing deteriorated stone, removing cement renders and marble cladding which were later additions, closing cracks to stop water infiltration, consolidating the bell towers structurally, and removing accretions.
The Marsa Local Council together with the Executive Secretary were also present for the Press Conference.
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