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  • On Wednesday, 18th July 2018, Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna blessed a new bell replacing the oldest bell at the Mdina Cathedral, cast by the bellfounder Magister Antoninus in Tortoreto during 1499. 

    The new bell was cast by Fonderie Paccard of Annecy to be sympathetic as much as possible with the two splendid bells present in the belfries, and cast namely by the illustrious bellfounder Prospero Barigozzi of Milan in 1958. The new bell weighs 170kgs and sounds the note D sharp thus replicating the strike note of the 1499 bell as much as possible.

    The bell is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Paul titular Saint of Mdina Cathedral. The bell carries a latin inscription by Monsignor John Azzopardi which is as follows: HÆC A. MMXVI, A SOC. PACCARD IN GALLIA, CONFLATA  ILLAM A. MCDXCIX, A MAGISTRO ANTONIO DE TORTORITO SUBSTITUIT which translates to: That which was cast in 1499 by Master founder Antoninus of Tortorito in the year 1499 is being substituted by this which was cast by the Paccard foundry of France in the year 2016.

    The 500-year-old bell will be on display at the Mdina Cathedral Museum.

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  • Photos: Curia – church.mt/photos