Gozo Ramla Madonna to get her arm back

A restoration project by the Xaghra local council will give the statue of Our Lady – found in the middle of the picturesque Ramla l-Hamra bay – her arm back.

The statue representing Our Lady of Hope has been in dire need for restoration: paint on the statue is flaking off and its arm has broken off. Three marble plaques found on the statue, describing its historical importance, are barely legible.

The concrete statue is rendered with an oil-based paint and stands on a limestone pedestal plastered over with cement-layer painted cream.

It dates back to 1881 when it was erected by John Gauci, the last remaining member of the Polizia Marinare (marine police) which guarded the Order of St John’s Belancourt Battery, constructed in the early 18th century.

The statue was meant to provide solace to the solitary guards, at a time when the beach was barely frequented.

All that remains of the historical redoubt is a small section of its pentagonal platform near the base of the 19th century statue. The pedestal of the statue is made of stones taken from the fortifications.

In 1966 the statue was replaced by one cast in concrete by Gozitan sculptor Wistin Camilleri at the cost of £40. It had been designed by Mgr Mikiel Angelo Apap .

In the restoration works approved by the Planning Authority last week, the statue will be removed and transported to a workshop where the necessary restoration works can be carried out in a sheltered environment. They will include the cleaning of the surface paint, the removal of detached paint and the mortar reconstruction of parts of the statue. If the reconstruction is found to be not stable, the arm will be reconstructed separately and attached to the statue using resin.

No works are envisaged to be carried out on the actual pedestal, but less visually intrusive spotlights will be installed. The three marble plaques attached to the pedestal will be cleaned and the etched wording restored.