Restoration of St. Philip and St. James Chapel (Tal-Prepostu), San Ġwann
The Chapel of St. Philip and St. James, called Tal-Prepostu, was built in the 1733 by Fr. Gaspare Giuseppe Vassallo on land in Ta’ Wied Għomor.1 Funded by rent from a Birkirkara property, it served nearby residents’ spiritual needs as part of the Birkirkara parish.2 Its altar originally displayed a painting of the two apostles by Ġannikol Buhagiar. In the late 20th century, the chapel became part of the San Ġwann parish.3
Architectural Features
The chapel features a simple facade with cornices above the doorway and below its arched frontispiece. Above the entrance is a small window and below it masonry possibly prepared for a coat of arms. The gable has two pillars decorated with finials. Between the pillars an arched bell-cot, topped by a cross, sits at the centre. Recognised for its cultural and historical value, the chapel has been a Grade 1 scheduled building since 1994 (Government Gazette 790).
The Restoration Process
The restoration works were carried out to conserve the historical value of the chapel. Metal inserts and biological residues were removed. The stonework was in an overall good condition, and defective parts were restored with plastic repair. The façade joints were cleaned and repointed with hydraulic lime. Main door, windows and iron work were also restored. Works were also carried out on the cross and on the arched bell-cot.
References:
- Xuereb, P. (n.d.). Il-Knisja ta’ San Filippu u San Ġakbu, magħrufa wkoll bħala “Tal-Prepostu” f’Tal-Balal ~ limiti ta’ San Ġwann ~ (By N. Ciantar). Kappelli Maltin https://kappellimaltin.com. Retrieved February 26, 2026, from https://kappellimaltin.com/Il-Kappelli/Sett08/SGN_Tal-Prepostu/sgn_tal-prepostu.html
- Kummissjoni Kapitulari Kolleġjata u Bażilika Sant’Elena (Birkirkara, Malta) (1995) Il-Knisja tal-‘Prepostu’, ‘Programm tal-festa Sant’Elena [Imp. Awg.] fil-Bażilika Kolleġjata Birkirkara, 1995’, pp. 34-37
- Xuereb (n.d.)