Restoration of the Cappella Ardente

The Cappella Ardente was made as a temporary structure made to service as a funerary monument mounted in the centre of the church to commemorate the demise of Popes, grand masters, Catholic Sovereigns and other church dignitaries.  This large wooden structure held as many as 230 candles and was decorated with funerary symbols. In 1726 the well known architect and knight Romano Carapecchia was commissioned by Fra Joseph de Robins de Barbante to design the structure. The last time the catafalque was set up was to commemorate the death of H.H. John XXIII in 1963.

The restoration project commenced with a scientific analysis, wood identification and stratigraphic investigation. This was followed by disinfestations, cleaning, structural consolidation and consolidation of the preparatory and pictorial layer, the treatment of any corroded metal, the removal of protective coating and the replacement of parts for assembly. The project was entrusted to ReCoop in 2010. It has almost reached completion.