Where Light Meets Legacy
Illuminating the Past, Preserving the Future
For over 350 years, Mattia Preti’s breathtaking Baroque ceiling has inspired awe, devotion, and admiration. Each brushstroke tells the story of faith, artistry, and Malta’s rich cultural heritage, making it not just a ceiling, but a living testament to the soul of our nation.
Why Your Support Matters
Time, humidity, and climate change now threaten this irreplaceable masterpiece. Without immediate conservation, future generations risk losing a jewel of European Baroque art and Malta’s spiritual heritage. By joining our restoration campaign, you will:
• Protect an irreplaceable cultural jewel, ensuring Preti’s vision endures for centuries.
• Celebrate Maltese pride on a global stage, your support safeguards a masterpiece recognised worldwide.
• Leave a legacy and contribute to the preservation of history, art, and faith.
Your Support Includes
As a valued supporter of the restoration project, these are the exclusive benefits designed to honour your commitment to preserving Malta’s cultural heritage.
As a valued supporter, you will receive:
• Personalised Thank-You Letter from the Foundation
• Commemorative Certificate bearing the cathedral’s official seal
• Public Acknowledgment via social media and project materials
• Exclusive Keepsake Gift
• VIP Invitations to concerts, exhibitions, and special masses
• Guided Tour of the restoration progress
• Recognition in Publications, including the Annual Report
• Complimentary Entry for your staff
• Annual C-Suite Gathering celebrating sponsors and shared commitment
Join Us in Preserving Malta’s Legacy
Every contribution matters. Together, we can safeguard Mattia Preti’s vaulted ceiling – a symbol of faith, artistry, and Malta’s soul.
Contact Us: fundraising@stjohnscocathedral.com
About The Project
Mattia Preti (1613–1699), il Cavalier Calabrese, transformed Malta’s sacred spaces with dramatic, light-filled paintings. His vault at St John’s Co-Cathedral, painted 1661–1666, depicts the Life and Apotheosis of St John the Baptist, turning the ceiling into an immersive Baroque vision.
Why Restoration is Urgent
Over time, humidity, temperature fluctuations, and climate change have weakened the paintings. Cracks, paint loss, and surface deposits now threaten their stability and visibility. The last major restoration, led by Cesare Brandi in the 1960s, preserved the work for a generation, but six decades later, a new, scientifically driven conservation program is urgently needed to safeguard this masterpiece for the future.
How Your Support Helps
Your contribution will fund a multi-year, multidisciplinary restoration that includes:
• Scientific research and diagnostics to study materials and deterioration.
• Stabilisation and cleaning to secure the paint and reveal Preti’s original brilliance.
• Environmental monitoring to protect the work from future damage.
• Sustainable preservation ensuring the vault’s integrity for generations to come.
Every donation supports expert conservators, art historians, and scientists working under an international Scientific Committee to ensure the highest standards of transparency, respect, and care.
Timeline & Goal
Duration: 6 years
Investment: €6 million
About the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation
Established in 2001, the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation is entrusted with preserving, protecting, and promoting one of Malta’s greatest cultural and spiritual landmarks. Built by the Knights of St John, the Co-Cathedral is world-renowned for its Baroque splendour, its magnificent architecture, and masterpieces by artists such as Mattia Preti and Caravaggio. The Foundation ensures that this sacred monument remains a living place of worship while welcoming visitors from around the world to experience its history, beauty, and devotion. Through conservation, exhibitions, cultural events, and educational programs, the Foundation safeguards the Co-Cathedral’s legacy so that future generations may continue to connect with its artistic and spiritual heritage.
Over the past two decades, our expert team has overseen an extensive program of restoration and conservation projects carried out with diligence, transparency, and respect for authenticity. These include the Flemish Tapestries (2007–2022), the Oratory and its Preti paintings (2021), the Façade and Belfries (2018), and the Grand Masters’ Crypt (2010–2012), among many others. Each project reflects the Foundation’s commitment to excellence and accountability, uniting specialists in art history, conservation, and architecture to ensure that every intervention honours the Co-Cathedral’s integrity as both a sacred space and a world-renowned cultural treasure.
