After almost two months of renovations, the community of friars residing at Saint Saviour’s has regained its refectory.
Moisture damage on the walls and cracked flagstones were evidence of its slow but steady deterioration. The Father Guardian, Jerzy Kraj, and his Council made the decision to have the necessary repairs performed. They took the opportunity to redo the entire floor, whose magnificent old flagstones were very difficult to keep up, but in order to preserve the room’ ambience the old flags were re-dressed and polished before being replaced over a new concrete foundation. Leaky pipes and a cistern that overflowed onto the refectory floor were repaired. The re-laid flagstones, waxed and polished, are like new, but they retain that unique color of the city’s old stone floors. The walls have been repainted and the light fixtures replaced to match the metal fittings in the woodwork.
During the academic year, almost 80 meals are served in the refectory twice a day. It was only possible to perform the renovations during the summer, when most of the friars were away on vacation or, for the students, internships. While the work was in progress, the friars at the monastery ate in the infirmary refectory – a joy for the most aged of the friars. However, the more fit of the seniors have not been forgotten in the refurbishment of the refectory: four radiators have been cleverly concealed, and an elevator – for which the work has only just begun – will soon allow them to leave the infirmary to join their younger brothers at meals.
For the last two weeks, the workmen have spared no effort to avoid delay, working until late in the evening. To thank them, the Custody offered them a festive meal.
The refectory will receive the final touch when the new painting of The Last Supper by Piero Casentini, taking up the colors of the stonework, is placed above the Custos’ table.
MAB
Moisture damage on the walls and cracked flagstones were evidence of its slow but steady deterioration. The Father Guardian, Jerzy Kraj, and his Council made the decision to have the necessary repairs performed. They took the opportunity to redo the entire floor, whose magnificent old flagstones were very difficult to keep up, but in order to preserve the room’ ambience the old flags were re-dressed and polished before being replaced over a new concrete foundation. Leaky pipes and a cistern that overflowed onto the refectory floor were repaired. The re-laid flagstones, waxed and polished, are like new, but they retain that unique color of the city’s old stone floors. The walls have been repainted and the light fixtures replaced to match the metal fittings in the woodwork.
During the academic year, almost 80 meals are served in the refectory twice a day. It was only possible to perform the renovations during the summer, when most of the friars were away on vacation or, for the students, internships. While the work was in progress, the friars at the monastery ate in the infirmary refectory – a joy for the most aged of the friars. However, the more fit of the seniors have not been forgotten in the refurbishment of the refectory: four radiators have been cleverly concealed, and an elevator – for which the work has only just begun – will soon allow them to leave the infirmary to join their younger brothers at meals.
For the last two weeks, the workmen have spared no effort to avoid delay, working until late in the evening. To thank them, the Custody offered them a festive meal.
The refectory will receive the final touch when the new painting of The Last Supper by Piero Casentini, taking up the colors of the stonework, is placed above the Custos’ table.
MAB