Restoration of the Church of St. James, Xgħajra
The idea to build the Church of St. James in Xgħajra to serve the spiritual needs of the growing local community was first conceived in 1933. The cornerstone was laid and blessed on 23 July 1933 by Bishop Don Mauro Caruana, with architectural plans drawn up by Giuseppe Lia. Construction was interrupted during the Second World War when the residents were evacuated, but work resumed afterwards and the church was finally opened for worship on 6 January 1951.1 2
The Restoration Works
The conservation project focused on cleaning, repairing, and safeguarding the church’s stone fabric and architectural details. Flaking paint was removed and reapplied only on parts of the façade, after pointing and plastering works were carried out. The façade was washed with water and stiff brushes, while black deposits in decorated areas were removed using poulticing. More persistent stains were treated with ammonium bicarbonate or micro-sandblasting.
Damaged joints were carefully cleared of loose mortar and repointed with a mixture of hydraulic lime, sand, and stone dust, sometimes with crushed pottery to achieve the correct colour match. Missing or deteriorated decorative stone elements were replaced in kind. Loose rendering was removed, and a new lime-based render with fine stone dust was applied to maintain the church’s traditional Mediterranean appearance.
Many of the balustrades were in a very poor state of repair and were replaced. In addition, essential roof repairs were carried out to prevent water infiltration and ensure the long-term preservation of the building.
- P. Pace, Storja u Kultura Ħaż-Żabbar, 2013
- A. Guillaumier, Bliet u Rħula Maltin, Vol. II, 2005