Our Lady of Mount Carmel Street Shrine – Mqabba

 

 

Restoration of Street Shrine Dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Mqabba

Situated at the corner of Triq il-Karmnu and Triq Valletta, this street shrine is dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and is adorned with Ionic pilasters and a triangular pediment 1. Some say that the design of this niche was made by Marjanu Gerada (1766-1823). However, this is probably not the case because it is thought that the niche was made in around 1880, when the building that the niche forms a part of was restored. 2  The small statue and the niche were restored in 1934, whose restoration was paid for by Karmenu Zammit, the owner of the house.

Every year, Zammit used to decorate the niche on 16th July – the feast day of the Lady of Mount Carmel. From the 12th to the 16th July, a veil used to be placed in the hand of the statue. 3 A legend claims that once this veil fell and was found by a woman who had been ill for some time. After a few days, the woman wore the veil and two days later recovered completely. 4

 

 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel niche, in Mqabba, before and after restoration

 

 

The Restoration Process

The cleaning of biological growth started from the uppermost part of the street shrine and proceeded gradually down to the lowest point of the pedestal. Cleaning tests were carried out to identify the most efficient and least invasive method to be used. The cleaning was mostly done mechanically, using soft water and nylon brushes. On more persistent deposits, hand-cleaning tools such as surgical blades were required. Once all plastic repair had cured, a transparent velatura (a thin limewash) finish was applied to protect the stone surface.

  1. Farrugia, G. (1999). Storja tan-niċeċ fl – Imqabba.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Ibid.