Ta'Pinu

Ta 'Pinu Basilica on Gozo is one of the most important sacred places in the archipelago, it is a place of apparitions and healings.
The history of this basil is extremely interesting. It all started in the 16th century, when an inconspicuous chapel stood in the middle of nowhere. The building was basically a ruin and its walls were in danger of collapsing. In this situation, the then bishop, with the consent of the pope, decided to demolish the old chapel. Workers with pickaxes were summoned and demolition was ordered. The first worker to hit the chapel with a pickaxe… broke his arm. It was then considered a miracle - it was read as a sign from the Mother of God, who simply did not wish to demolish the walls of the old chapel. It was therefore left intact. The chapel stood like this until the end of the 19th century. It was then (or more precisely on June 22, 1883) that a farmer, Karmni Grima, was returning from the field. As she passed the chapel, she heard a voice. A voice called her in to come in to pray. The woman shuddered at first, but the voice of (Our Lady) repeated so that she should not be afraid, but went inside to say 3 "Hail Marys" for her health, because soon she would be very sick, even bedridden ... and she would not have the opportunity . The woman came in, prayed fervently, and soon became really sick. During her illness, she was visited by her neighbor - Francis Portelli. The woman confided in him one day about what had happened to her, and the young man replied that whenever he passed by the chapel, he also heard the voice of the Mother of God calling him to prayers, but he, in turn, was to pray for his very sick mother. So he walked, he prayed, and after a while his mother recovered, Karmni Grima also recovered, and the news that the Mother of God was speaking to people in the chapel spread around the area.
More and more believers came to this place to pray to Our Lady for various intentions. In this situation, the church authorities of Gozo concluded that a more impressive church should be erected in the place of the chapel. The construction of the basilica took place in 1919-1931. The old chapel, in accordance with the will of the Mother of God, was not demolished, but only integrated into the walls of the present church.The old small church is the altar on the today’s basilica. The church has the title of minor basilica (the title was given by Pope Pius XI). Karmni Grima, and Francesco Portelli, were buried in the crypts beneath the church as the people who started it all.
Pope John Paul II visited the basilica in 1990, and in 2010 Pope Benedict XVI donated and placed the Golden Rose in front of a pious painting of Our Lady of Ta 'Pinu, which was brought from Gozo to Malta for this special occasion.
The name Ta'Pinu comes from the name of the landowner Philip (Gauci), in whose field there was a chapel in the 16th century, who donated the land to the church. Gauci also commissioned the painting of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary for the main altar of the temple - the work was created in 1619 by Amadeo Perugino.
Currently, the church is open to the faithful who come in large numbers from different countries. In the aisles of the church you can see, among others crutches, corsets, children's clothes, letters of thanks to the Mother of God and any evidence of healings.
There are envelopes at the altar where you can leave your own prayers - on the envelopes, however, we will find information not to put money inside. Entry to the church is also free. Any donations can be left in specially designated money boxes for this purpose.
Ta 'Pinu Basilica at first glance differs from other Maltese temples. It is not situated among narrow streets and buildings, like almost all churches in Malta. The 60-meter-high structure stands majestically in the fields and can be seen from a distance. From the main road towards the capital of Gozo, Victoria, there is a pavement towards the temple.
Year by year, this church is becoming more and more popular among the faithful from Malta and around the world. In 2016, about 400,000 people came to the Ta 'Pinu basilica. pilgrims, by 10 percent. more than in 2015. On its walls there is a lot of evidence that praying through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary works miracles. The faithful first come to pray for recovery or other problems, then come back and leave written testimonies that they have been heard.