A year has passed since the miraculous image of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu venerated in the Sanctuary that bears the same name in the west of Gozo was brought to St George’s Basilica to be revered by the faithful.
On 16 January 2019, the Collegiate Chapter and Clergy of St George’s headed by Archpriest Can. Joseph Curmi marched out of the Basilica’s main portals through St Joseph’s Street (is-Suq) towards Independence Square where the La Stella Band was ready to welcome the holy image that was brought down from the Cathedral Church by the Cathedral Chapter itself.
The holy image of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu was then carried shoulder high from the main square of the town to St George’s. Members of the Franciscan Conventual Community of Victoria accompanied the clergy of the Basilica. The Rector of the Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary also accompanied the procession while the La Stella Band played Marian hymns. Archpriest Joseph Curmi made his formal address on the main stairs of the Basilica while the gathered faithful walked with the candles aux flambeaux. Members of the three confraternities of the Basilica also accompanied the holy image. The miraculous image of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu was then put in a prominent place under the baldacchino of the Basilica where it remained for the veneration of the general public for the entire night and the consecutive day. After its arrival, Chev. Dr Paul Pisani read a long poem that his late father poet Ġorġ Pisani had written for the occasion of the visit of the same holy image at St George’s, back in 1949. The name of the poem was L-Għanja tal-Merħba.
Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu spent twenty four hours at St George’s, where it was visited by the elderly, parishioners, visitors and school children. The final celebration, for catechism children, saw the departure of the image, 400 years old, which on Thursday 17 January 2019 headed to the Gozo General Hospital for a short visit.
This was the second time that the holy image of Ta’ Pinu was brought to St George’s. Now that a year has elapsed since that historical day, may we renew our love for the Blessed Virgin whose intercession we constantly seek as we recite the prayer of the Holy Rosary which is so dear to her.