Set the scene.
The chapel was rebuilt in 1643 on land connected with Petronilla Pontremoli’s dowry. Her husband, the notary Paolo de Lorenzo, took on the building work.
Here’s the twist.
After it was deconsecrated, Petronilla pressed for reopening in 1674. She offered land revenue and promised bread for poor people visiting on the feast day.
Why it still matters.
A later painting by Gian Nikola Buhagiar replaced the earlier St Bartholomew image in 1735. Follow the benefactor’s story: a chapel depended on continuing support as well as its original construction.
🧠 One to think about +
What does this story change about the way you see Malta today? Pick one detail you’d tell a friend — then check its source below.