The feast of Our Lady of Lourdes will be celebrated at the Lourdes chapel in Gozo tomorrow. Gozo diocese vicar general Tarcisju Camilleri will conduct Mass and deliver the sermon at 5pm.

The gothic-style chapel on Tal-Qortin promontory, overlooking Mġarr harbour, attracts the attention of many visitors who travel to Gozo by boat.

The devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes began on March 25, 1879, when a statue of the Virgin Mary was placed in a natural cavity beneath the promontory. The statue was blessed by Bishop Pietro Pace (1877-1889) on June 3, 1883, and the place soon became a centre of devotion.

Mgr Pietro Pace urged devotees to raise money to build a chapel in honour of Our Lady. The foundation stone of the chapel, designed by Emmanuel Galizia, was laid on June 10, 1888.

It was built by master mason Wiġi Vella of Żebbuġ, Gozo. The chapel was blessed on August 27, 1893. The Immaculate Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous at the grotto of Massabielle in the vicinity of Lourdes, France, on February 11, 1858.  Bernadette Soubirous experienced Marian apparitions of a ‘young lady’ who asked for a chapel to be built at the nearby grotto at Massabielle. These apparitions are said to have occurred bet-ween February 11 and July 16, 1858.

Throughout the years since Our Lady first appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, the shrine has investigated over 7,000 cases of reported miracles. Since then, 69 have received the official approval, with the majority of them coming from France.