St Andrew’s Cathedral has been announced as the winner of the Building Conservation category of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Scotland Awards 2012.

The competition, organised by the RICS in Scotland, recognises the achievements of land, property and construction professionals in four categories – Design and Innovation, Building Conservation, Regeneration and Community Benefit. 

Built in 1816,St Andrew’s Cathedral – the mother church of Catholics throughout the west of Scotland -  has undergone a full renovation with emphasis being placed on securing the long term future of the building with quality repairs being undertaken on the building’s fabric. The work has been described as the “most significant building project on a Catholic Cathedral in Scotland since the Reformation”.

Winners of the RICS Scotland Awards will be automatically entered into the RICS global award finals.  Here, the Scottish winners will face tough competition in the shape of entries from countries from all over the world. 

Archbishop Mario Conti, who oversaw the renovation programme of the Cathedral, and its re-opening in April 2011, said: “I am delighted to receive this award which is a significant recognition of the success of our Cathedral restoration project.

“The project combined building restoration work on a venerable building with new artistic commissions, the development of a new cloister garden space and internal renovation and has been hugely popular among the ever growing number of people who are seeing the Cathedral as a new attraction, as well as those for whom it is a much loved spiritual haven.”

Some of Europe's finest religious paintings go on show in Glasgow this spring and summer at Kelvingrove Museum. And according to Archbishop Conti, they can serve as a great stimulus to the spiritual life.

The Essence of Beauty - 500 Years of Italian Art - runs until August 12 and brings together priceless religious masterpieces by Bellini, Titian, Botticelli and many others. All belong to Glasgow's civic collection but some have not been seen in public for 100 years.

The Archbishop is encouraging parishioners across the Archdiocese to visit the exhibition over the next few months.

He said: "This is a truly unique opportunity to see some of the world's top religious art on our own doorstep.  Some of the works are obvious aids to prayer and devotion, and they will surely inspire visitors to deeper reverence and reflection."

The Archbishop himself part-sponsored the restoration of a fine scene of the Adoration of the Magi by an anonymous artist from either Rome or Naples dated shortly after 1500.  After following its restoration, resulting in a vivid, almost 3D effect, he declared himself "delighted" at the finished work when it was shown to him by the Chief Executive of Glasgow Life, Dr Bridget McConnell.

The image above is Sandro Botticelli's Annunciation, late 15th century. now on display in the exhibition.

More information at www.glasgowmuseums.com/italianart

Thought for the Day on your Mobile Phone

• Saint Andrew's Cathedral is open each day from 7.30am to 6.00pm.
• Weekday Masses are at 8.15am, 1.00pm and 5.15 pm
• Sunday Masses are 5.15pm (Saturday Vigil); 10.00am, 12noon and 5.15pm
• Confessions 30 minutes before weekday Masses

St Andrew's Cathedral, Clyde Street, Glasgow, G1 4JY - 8.15 am, 1.00 pm and 5.15pm

St Mary's, 89 Abercromby Street, Calton, Glasgow, G40 2DQ - 9.00 am

St Aloysius, Rose Street, Garnethill, Glasgow, G3 6RE - 8.00 am, 12.30 pm and 5.45 pm

St Patrick's, 137 William Street, Anderston, Glasgow, G3 8UR - 10.00 am

St Mungo's, 52 Parson Street, Townhead, Glasgow, G4 0RX - 10.00 am, 12.15 pm and 6.00 pm

St Alphonsus, 18 Stevenson Street West, Glasgow, G40 2ST - 12.30 pm