Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieħa
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieħa is a Marian shrine in the village of Mellieħa in Malta.History
It was originally constructed in the late 16th century and contains a Byzantine-style fresco, depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary with Christ on her right arm. Tradition has it that the painting was made by St. Luke when he was shipwrecked on the island with St. Paul, but recent studies have shown it to be an early 13th century work. The church expanded several times to accommodate the growing population of the village and the roofed veranda is considered a classic example of 17th century Renaissance architecture. The sanctuary was blessed by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Malta in May 1990.
