By: Wilfred L. Camilleri

Many thanks to Msgr Benedict Camilleri, rector of Our Lady Ta' Pinu Shrine of Gozo, Malta, for reviewing the information on this Page and for providing me with more historically correct information.

This is one of the most visited sites on the Island of Gozo, especially by Maltese people, although many tourists also visit the Basilica. The Basilica of Ta' Pinu has a very interesting history.

The Basilica is located on the eastern side of the valley separating the village of Gharb from Ghammar. Surrounded by lush fields, the Basilica stick out since there are no buildings close to it, except for a few one-storey buildings at the end of the road leading to the square in front of the church.

The church dates back to 1920 and is built around a small, barrel-vaulted votive chapel which dates back to the sixteenth century. The first record of the chapel, then known as 'Tal Gentili' can be found in 1534. The chapel was built by the Gentili family (hence the name Tal Gentili) and was devoted to Our Lady of the Assumption.

The chapel was ordered to be demolished by the Apostolic Visitor, Msgr Pietro Duzina in 1575 but was spared. According to tradition, when the workman struck the first blow he broke his arm. This fact was taken as an omen that this chapel had to be preserved for future generations. The ruins of the chapel were restored in 1619, but by 1654, it had fallen into disrepair and was once more condemned.

The name of the Basilica has its roots in the name of a very religious man who took it upon himself to take care of the chapel. His name was Pillippinu Gauci, Pinu for short. He restored the chapel and in 1619 ordered the painting of Our Lady Ta' Pinu, representing the Assumption of The Blessed Virgin to Heaven. The painting was done by Amadeo Perugino, probably a member of the Inquisitor's train. The name "Ta' Pinu" has stuck through the centuries.

NOTE: At the bottom of the painting there is a note in Latin that says, "The painting was ordered by Pinu Gauci and was painted by Amadeo Perugino."

By 1654 the chapel had fallen again into disrepair and was once more closed to the public. But Pinu's daughter, restored the chapel again and re-endowed in 1676. By 1879 the chapel again fell into disrepair and became derelict.

However, in 1883, the chapel got another reprieve. The story goes that on the morning of June 22nd, 1883, a middle-aged woman named Carmela Grima heard a voice calling her as she prayed while walking homeward to Gharb. She happened to be by the deserted chapel at the time. Since she couldn't see anyone about, she again started on her journey, but once more she heard a voice calling her, "Come, Come, because it will be another year before you will be able to return". She decided to enter the chapel and knelt down to pray.

During her prayers she underwent a spiritual experience and again she heard the voice telling her, "Recite Three 'Hail Marys' in memory of the three days my Body lay in the sepulchre".

Carmela recounted her experience to a friend of hers named Francesco Portelli. Subsequently, Francesco revealed that he too had heard a voice in the chapel commanding him to pay devotion to the wounds made in Christ's shoulder while He was carrying the Cross.

It is recorded that Francesco's mother fell desperately ill in 1886. As was the custom in those days, Francesco vowed to light a lamp in the chapel should his mother recover. His mother did recover and Carmela and Francesco saw the recovery as a miracle. This is when they acknowledged their experience to church authorities.

The word quickly spread around and many things were attributed to the miraculous nature of Our Lady of Assumption. Numerous acts of grace, such as Gozo's escape from the plague in the following year and escape from serious damage in World War II, together with many miracles of healing, have since been attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu.

The Image of Our Lady Ta' Pinu was crowned in 1935 by Cardinal Alessio Lepicier after a special Papal Decree of Pope Pius XI and Pope John Paul II in 1990, after Concelebrating Mass at the Shrine, he decorated the same Image by five golden Stars studded with precious stones.

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