Basilica of the Patronage of Our Lady

The Basilica of Our Lady of Patronage is a small countryside church located in Wied il-Għasri, Malta. The facade of the chapel has four pillars in the Doric style, which hold up the two-storey building. Two small bell towers (one old, and one built in 2004) house three bells between them. The Basilica has a cupola without a lantern.

The present site of the church was previously occupied by another as early as 1530, as documented by the historian Achille Ferris. This small chapel that was in place was dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and was built by the Cini family, the descendants of whom live in Żebbuġ. In 1657, during a pastoral visit, the chapel was declared unfit for purpose, as it was unkempt and abandoned. The chapel was then rebuilt some time in the 18th century.

In 1656, Pope Alexander VII gave Mary the title of Our Lady of Patronage. This title was then declared a universal devotion by Pope Benedict XIII. There is evidence that the devotion spread to Gozo so much so that the new church built between 1737 and 1739 and consecrated on May 8, 1739, was dedicated to its present title. The builder and financial sustainer was the Rev. Thomas Saliba, whose family still lives in the village of Għasri. A pastoral visit in 1744 described the church as a long hall with a roof resting on five arches. The door looked southwards and one altar was made of precious alabaster. The main altarpiece portrayed the Blessed Virgin wearing a mantle, with which she was covering a man. The altarpiece is still in use today and was painted by a local artist from Senglea. Later on, the sacristy was added, as well as other works of art, and a benefice to support the maintenance of the chapel.

Church data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).