The aims of the Commission are to promote Sacred Art, its appreciation and education related to it. It also ensures that new works in churches are only undertaken where necessary and pastorally useful, and that they are of a suitable artistic standard. The Commission’s meetings are held four times a year and are led by Archbishop Charles Scicluna.
Members
Mgr. Jesmond Manicaro, Chairperson
Dun Charles Bugeja, Segretarju
Mgr. Claude Portelli
Architect Andrew Ellul
Architect Andrew Scicluna
Ms Agatha Grima
Mr Hilary Spiteri
Mgr Louis Suban (representative of the Parish Priests’ College)
B. E. & A. (Hons.) (Melit.), Architect
He studied Architecture at the University of Malta from where he graduated and became an Architect, with a particular interest in design. He works with a company of architects. He contributed to the design and planning of projects such as the building of the European Union Agency for Asylum (ex Malta Maritime Authority), the Valletta Waterfront, the Fort Chambray and residential buildings.
Mons Claude Portelli received his educational formation at St Edward’s College, Birgu. He received priestly formation at the Seminary of the Archbishop of Virtue as well as at the Theology faculty at the University of Malta, where he graduated with a Licentiate in Pastoral Theology. He was ordained a priest on July 28, 2002. Don Claude had his first pastoral experience in the Parish of Marija Assunta in Għaxaq. In July 2003 he was appointed vice-chaplain of the Parish of San Gijlian and in 2009 he was appointed chaplain of the same parish. He finished his work as priest in June 2022.
In January 2023 he was appointed the first Delegate for Culture in the Archdiocese and has the mission of creating a dialogue between the Church in Malta and the field of culture. In July 2024 he was appointed Archpriest of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Paul, Mdina.
Born in 1982, Hilary Spiteri serves as Deputy Head of School and Head of the Department of Art and Art History at De La Salle Sixth Form College in Malta, where he teaches Art and History. of Arts. He is a member of the Commission for Sacred Art within the Church in Malta and regularly contributes articles of a historical nature to The Sunday Times of Malta and other magazines. Spiteri obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from the University of Malta in 2003 and obtained a Master’s in the same discipline with a specialization on artistic pedagogy, the Neoclassical movement, and European art of the nineteenth century. He researched in various collections across Europe, an activity that led to several significant publications, including Academic Artistic Training in Early British Malta (2011) and Filial Churches of Malta: Qormi A Case Study (2016). As an artist and curator, his works appear in private collections both locally and overseas, and he coordinated prominent exhibitions such as The Life and Work of Lewis Wirth and Helen Cavarra (2014) and Celebrating Antoine Camilleri (2015). Spiteri also produces and presents art documentaries that focus on the history of Maltese art.
