A delegation from the Parish of Our Lady of Loreto led by Archpriest Fr. Frank Bajada, visited the Cornille-Havard foundry from the 12th to the 15th of July. The aim was surely sublime – to receive the 8 bells for our church. This reception means that the bells are to the satisfaction of the parish, assisted by the expert advice of Joseph Chetcuti, a master bronze caster in Malta, Maestro John Galea who is the musical director of the project, Vince Caruana, one of the five artists who are working on the project and the critical eye of the rest of the group.

The eight bells received carry the notes of FA LA DO FA SOL LA SIb DO. The largest bell weighs 5.5 tonnes with 2.07m diameter and rings the FA2 note. All the bells together weigh 14tonnes and can play the traditional Sanctus (FA LA DO) and three tones of the AVE MARIA together with other tones. The artists involved in this project are Vince Caruana and Paul Stellini for the designs, Rudolph Cauchi for the decorative guilding, Joseph Chetcuti for the crown angels and Jean-Claude Quinette for the low reliefs of all the designs.

The Archpriest marked each bell with a cross as a sign of acceptance in the evening of 14th July after a final ringing of the bells in front of the entire delegation. The bells will be blessed on Sunday 14th August in the morning on the parvis of Our Lady of Loreto Church in Ghajnsielem. Further details will be announced.

Expectation in Ghajnsielem is naturally very high as this is a project which has been the desire of the parishioners for many years. The extent and nature of such project make it surely a unique contribution to religious art on the island. Surely it was the blending of faith in God’s providence, love and inspiration together with faith in the various talented persons involved and the generous contributions of the Ghajnselmizi that has brought the whole parish to this very particular moment.