The last apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes will be celebrated at the Lourdes chapel in Mġarr on Friday. Masses will be said at 5.15am, 9, 1pm, 3.30pm and 6pm.

An hour of prayer, led by the Italian community in Gozo, will be held at 6.30pm. The apparitions of Our Lady are said to have occurred between February 11 and July 16, 1858.

The rector of the chapel, Mgr Renato Borg, is urging the faithful to visit the chapel and pray Our Lady to help us, to free us from this great pandemic we are experiencing. “Let us all pray for all the victims of COVID-19 and especially their families,” Mgr Borg said.The gothic-style chapel, 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 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.

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