The Urgent Conservation Works on Wall Painting in Gelati Started

Emergency conservation works on the wall painting in Gelati Cathedral started on March 12. According to the English specialist, they will test the previously developed methods over the next three weeks.

"Now we are in the evaluation phase. Our plan depends on the assessment of the situation. We can't take action on areas that are still wet because intervening might exacerbate these problems. During this short period, we should prioritize areas that require special, urgent intervention. We can intervene where the activation of salts is stopped and where the interventions depend on the needs of the painting. We can work on strengthening the painting and coating layers, injecting where the connection between the coating and the base is lost. Conservation methods need to be properly planned and tested," said Lisa Shekede.

According to the assessment of another British expert, Stephen Rickerby, the frescoes are in a serious condition: "There are urgent works that need to be done, and we have to see what this painting itself will allow us because the situation is really very serious."

According to Archimandrite Kirion, the deputy chairman of the temporary rehabilitation committee of Gelati, there are 21 critical areas in the temple, and emergency renovation will be carried out in these areas.

Regarding the 12th-century mosaic of the Virgin in the church, its conservation is currently impossible. Italian specialist Roberto Nardi says that it is necessary to observe and study, which will take about a year.

"The Gelati mosaic speaks for itself with its beauty and significance. Of course, it is under conservation, but its condition is still promising. We have losses, i.e., parts of the painting, but the situation is promising. The measure of Gelati's time is centuries. The main thing is that we do not rush. The work needs a lot of attention, and we are not allowed to make mistakes. The period of study and observation will last about one year. Therefore, I cannot provide the exact time when we will carry out the interventions," Roberto Nardi told journalists.

The secretary of the National Scientific Council of the Provisional Committee for the Rehabilitation of Gelati, the rehabilitation and conservation of Gelati is a long-term project, and "no one should imagine that everything will change in one minute," Davit Lortkipanidze said.

"Of course, it is impossible to restore everything. These problems cannot be resolved in a week or a year.

The most important thing is unity, and there is a scientific vision that has passed through significant international filters. Regarding the roof, which is in progress, approval has been received from UNESCO for a specific project. The negotiations are complete, and a German company will handle it. German engineers will also be involved in the construction arrangement," said Lortkifanidze.

For years, water has been leaking into the main temple of Gelati from the roof, causing damage to the unique frescoes. The most recent case of water inflow was recorded in February.

The Ministry of Culture carried out the rehabilitation of the Gelati monastery complex; however, a year ago, at the end of February 2023, the agency handed over the works to the Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church of Georgia. This action followed a statement by the Patriarchate noting that "the crisis of the 21st century of the Gelati Cathedral began as a result of the rehabilitation works carried out in 2015-2019" and in 2021, the wall painting was in serious condition. Shortly before this announcement by the Patriarchate, the Giorgi Chubinashvili National Research Center for the History of Georgian Art and Monument Protection published a critical and alarming report on the damage to the Gelati frescoes. The report identified several facts containing signs of a criminal offense, although no one has been held accountable so far.