The church of Santa Maria di Betlem will have a further 2 million euros to complete the restoration and structural work. Regional Councillor for Public Works Antonio Piu announced the allocation on October 14, during a celebration in the cloister of the Franciscan convent in Sassari; the Municipality is expected to receive the funds in November. However, the availability of the funds does not clarify whether the church will be ready for the 2027 Faradda.
The funds come from the latest adjustment to the regional budget and are in addition to the 2 million already made available by the former Metropolitan Network. Mayor Giuseppe Mascia explained that the new funds will be used to complete the complex assessment requested by the Superintendency and carry out any work identified as necessary. The study concerns the structural and stability assessment of some of the building’s architectural elements.
The construction site had already revealed that the building was in worse condition than initially estimated, leading to the suspension of some work. According to Mascia, the 4 million euros in total should make it possible to address the stability of the nave and chapels, the roofs and deteriorated plasterwork, as well as replace the electrical system. The administration also hopes that funds will remain to work on the so-called conventino.
Work already funded with 1.4 million euros and, later, with a further 340,000 euros has made it possible to secure the choir loft. The contractors have also reinforced the nave, which is still supported by props. Mascia and the Municipality’s Councillor for Public Works, Salvatore Sanna, remain cautious about the schedule: several tenders will be needed to complete the work and, according to the mayor, its complexity has already led to developments that are difficult to predict.
The church is expected to reopen, but there is still no date that would make it possible to determine whether the Candelieri can return to the church for the fulfillment of the vow to the Assumption in 2027. Since 2022, the ceremony has taken place in the forecourt of Santa Maria di Betlem rather than inside the building. For the 2026 Faradda, too, the procession ended in the church grounds. The new allocation provides funding for further work, but does not set a construction schedule or determine the outcome for next year’s celebration.