Statue of Our Lady of the Lily of Mqabba marks 150 years

Until a few years ago, the only clue that existed regarding the date and origin of the statue of Our Lady of the Lily of Mqabba was a note that appeared in the newspaper Il Corriere Mercantile Maltese on May 8, 1876. In it, the contributor announces that the feast of Our Lady of the Lily was to be held in Mqabba on May 21. He also states that the statue − “bellissimo lavoro del signor G. Darmanin” − would be used for the first time. He added that the feast was in the hands of Mr Innocenz Zammit, who had also paid for the making of the statue.

Until the early 1990s, it was believed that the name of the sculptor “G. Darmanin” had been written in error, and that it should have been Karlu Darmanin. Stylistically, the statue resembles the two statues of the Immaculate Conception that the renowned sculptor made for Qormi and Rabat, yet the face of the Madonna is different, with Mqabba’s considered more beautiful. Another aspect indicating that this statue came from someone else’s hand is the fact that Our Lady’s hair is not entirely covered by the veil; Karlu Darmanin rarely left his statues’ hair visible when wearing a veil.

In the 1990s, important details emerged from a new reference. The newspaper La Rigenerazione of June 8, 1876 speaks of the festivities held in Mqabba as part of the celebrations marking the arrival of the statue in the church. This time, the statue is described as follows: “In quest’anno fu fatta una nuova statua, merce del maestro Innocenzo Zammit, la quale riuscì bellissima e devotissima, e fa onore al Signor Giovanni Darmanin che l’ha eseguita in cartapesta.” The sculptor’s name is written in full as “Giovanni Darmanin”, and research revealed that he was none other than Karlu’s brother.

In the village, there still exist tales that Zammit decided to commission a statue on his own initiative, without obtaining anyone’s approval or permission. When it was completed, he took it home and exhibited it to the public. This provoked opposition from the clergy, who believed that the statue was to be brought into the Church, blessed, and then placed for public veneration.

Until 2001, this was considered nothing more than popular folklore, until in the year marking the 125th anniversary of the statue’s arrival in Mqabba, a precious document was found in which Zammit requests permission from the bishop for the statue of Our Lady of the Lily that he had commissioned to be brought into the church and “placed in a glass case in the Chapel of the Conception, where it will cause no inconvenience”. It is clear from this note that the statue was made from the outset as the Madonna tal-Ġilju, which should silence various other tales claiming that the statue was originally made as the Immaculate Conception and that the angel with the lily was added later.

In this beautiful image, we see the Madonna standing on clouds with the world beneath her. With her gaze lowered and her hands on her chest, she appears to lovingly look upon her redeemed children. Under her right foot lies the head of the serpent of sin with a fruit in its mouth. Beneath them is the moon, a reference to the woman of the Apocalypse “clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet”. Beside the Madonna is a small kneeling cherub holding a lily in his hand, symbol of Mary’s purity.

It is worth noting that the Statue of Our Lady of the Lily survived the attack of April 9, 1942 completely intact, only suffering minimal damage

The statue quickly attracted devotion, as evidenced by the precious gifts that began to be offered to it. When it arrived in Mqabba, it already had a silver stellarium. The first major gift after this occurred in 1902, when Giovanna Manché of Valletta gave it a silver lily as thanksgiving for the healing of her niece Eleonora from sandfly fever. This lily naturally found its place in the angel’s hand, and to this day enriches the statue.

Special attention continued to be given to Giovanni Darmanin’s statue. In 1954, a new bradella was made to replace the previous one that had been damaged during the war, and over the years it underwent various restoration interventions. It is worth noting that the Statue of Our Lady of the Lily survived the attack of April 9, 1942 completely intact, only suffering minimal damage.

The artistic and devotional statue of Our Lady of the Lily is currently undergoing a process of professional cleaning and restoration, with the aim of preserving and conserving it for future generations. This cherished statue will be brought back to the parish church for the 2026 feast, a year of particular historical importance, as it marks the 150th anniversary of its arrival in Mqabba in 1876.

Our Lady of the Lily band club, the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception, together with the parish office, wish to express their sincere gratitude to the parishioners of Mqabba, benefactors, members, and all devotees of Our Lady of the Lily for their cooperation and support during this period.

The official inauguration of the restoration of the artistic and devotional statue of Our Lady of the Lily will take place on Sunday, June 14. The programme begins at 10am with a solemn mass at Mqabba parish church, with the participation of the various sections of the band club.

The official unveiling of the restored statue, pedestal and platform, will take place after mass. During the event, historical information about this artistic work will also be presented.

Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend the ceremony.