The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Għarb, Malta

On June 22, 1883, a peasant woman named Karmni Grima was walking past a small, forgotten chapel in the Gozitan countryside when she heard a voice calling to her in Maltese: "Ejja...ejja!" ("Come...come!"). Entering the chapel, she heard the same voice, this time from an old painting of the Assumption, telling her to "recite three Hail Marys in honour of the three days that my body lay in the tomb." This singular moment transformed an obscure chapel into Malta's most beloved pilgrimage site, where today the magnificent Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu rises from the gentle hills of Gozo, its 61-meter bell tower visible for miles across the island.

Għarb (pronounced "Arb"), Malta's westernmost village, has been a place of faith since Byzantine times. Its name derives from the Arabic word for "west," a reminder of the island's layered history under Arab, Norman, and Knights' rule. The village retains a distinctly rural character, with narrow streets lined by traditional limestone houses and decorated stone balconies in the village center. The people of Għarb preserved an older dialect of Maltese, with words and pronunciations long forgotten elsewhere, making it a place where linguists once came to record the pure sounds of the ancient language.

Beyond the Ta' Pinu shrine, pilgrims discover a twin treasure in the village's own Basilica of the Visitation, whose elegant baroque facade has been compared to Borromini's Sant'Agnese in Rome's Piazza Navona. The parish church, elevated to the status of minor basilica in 1967, anchors the pretty village square and serves as the spiritual heart of local life. Whether drawn by deep faith or simple curiosity, visitors to Għarb encounter a landscape where the sacred and the pastoral blend seamlessly beneath Mediterranean skies.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The origins of Ta' Pinu stretch back centuries before Karmni Grima's encounter. The chapel first appears in Church records around 1534, when Bishop Domenico Cubelles noted its existence during a pastoral visit, recording that it belonged to the noble family "of the Gentile" and had recently been restored. In 1575, the apostolic visitor Pietro Dusina, sent by Pope Gregory XIII to survey the Maltese Islands, found the chapel in poor repair and ordered its demolition along with similar neglected chapels across Gozo.

But Ta' Pinu would not be destroyed. When the workman struck the first blow to begin demolition, he broke his arm, an event taken as a divine sign that the chapel should be spared. It was the only chapel on the island to survive Dusina's decree. In 1598, a local man named Pinu (Filippo) Gauci became the chapel's procurator, and the name gradually changed from "Ta' Ġentile" to "Ta' Pinu"—"Of Philip." Pinu Gauci funded its restoration in 1611, and in 1619, the painter Amadeo Perugino created the altarpiece depicting the Assumption of Our Lady—the same painting that would speak to Karmni Grima more than two centuries later.

Karmni Grima, born in 1838 to a poor family in Għarb, lived a simple life of fieldwork and weaving. She kept her experience at the chapel secret for two years, until she confided in her neighbor Francesco Portelli, a devout man known for his devotion to Our Lady of Ta' Pinu. To her amazement, Francesco revealed that he too had heard a mysterious voice around the same time, asking him to honor the hidden wound on Christ's shoulder caused by carrying the cross. Shortly after this conversation, Francesco's mother was miraculously healed through prayers to the Madonna of Ta' Pinu—the first documented miracle in what would become a flood of heavenly favors.

Bishop Pietru Pace investigated the events and concluded that the voice was of heavenly origin. Word spread rapidly across the islands, and pilgrims began arriving in ever-greater numbers at the tiny chapel. Many believe that prayers offered at Ta' Pinu saved Gozo from the plague that devastated Malta in the late 19th century. By the early 20th century, it was clear that a grand new church was needed to accommodate the faithful.

Construction of the present basilica began on May 30, 1920, under the leadership of Monsignor Ġużepp Portelli, the chapel's rector. Built from honey-colored Maltese limestone in a neo-Romanesque style with an Italianate campanile, the church was consecrated on August 31, 1932. Pope Pius XI elevated it to the status of minor basilica just weeks earlier, on August 10, 1932. The original chapel, with its miraculous painting, was carefully preserved behind the high altar, where pilgrims can still pray before the image that spoke to Karmni Grima.

On May 24, 1935, Pope Pius XI granted a pontifical decree of coronation for the venerated image, and the solemn coronation ceremony took place on June 20, 1935. Three popes have since made pilgrimage to Ta' Pinu: John Paul II celebrated Mass on the shrine's parvise on May 26, 1990; Benedict XVI presented a Golden Rose on April 18, 2010, inviting the faithful to pray to Mary under the title "Queen of the Family"; and Francis visited on April 2, 2022, offering another golden rose and leading thousands in prayer.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Għarb

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu

Local Name: Santwarju Bażilika tal-Madonna ta' Pinu

Address: Triq Ta' Pinu, Għarb GRB 1130, Gozo, Malta

GPS Coordinates: 36.0563, 14.2108

Google Maps: View on Google Maps

Website: tapinu.org

Dedication: Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu (Assumption of Our Lady)

Historical Note:

The present basilica, built 1920-1932, incorporates the original 16th-century chapel behind its high altar. The church features six magnificent mosaics by the Maltese artist Joseph Briffa, 76 stained glass windows, and an interior of pale golden Maltese stone. The 61-meter bell tower dominates the surrounding countryside and can be seen from much of the island.

Spiritual Importance:

Malta's National Marian Shrine draws approximately 400,000 visitors annually. The ex-voto rooms flanking the altar contain thousands of offerings—children's clothing, plaster casts, crutches, photographs, and letters—left by pilgrims who received healings or favors through Our Lady's intercession. Pilgrims traditionally recite three Hail Marys before the miraculous image, as requested by the voice heard by Karmni Grima. A free smartphone audio tour is available over the church's Wi-Fi network. On the hillside opposite the basilica (Ta' Għammar), marble statues mark the Stations of the Cross leading to a summit with panoramic views.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

August 15 – Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Basilica of the National Shrine of Ta' Pinu. The principal feast draws thousands of pilgrims from Malta, Gozo, and abroad for solemn Masses, candlelit processions, and all-night vigils. Many pilgrims walk to the shrine from across Gozo, arriving at dawn for the first Mass.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Ta' Pinu Guesthouse

📍 Address: Triq l-Għarb, Għarb GRB 1102, Gozo, Malta

🌐 Website: tapinuguesthouse.com

🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com

A 500-year-old converted farmhouse just 700 meters from Ta' Pinu Basilica, offering charming rooms with traditional Maltese features, an indoor pool, and homemade breakfast. Perfect for pilgrims seeking proximity to the shrine.

Soleil B&B Gozo ⭐⭐⭐

📍 Address: Għarb, Gozo, Malta

🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com

Adults-only bed and breakfast set 600 meters from Ta' Pinu, featuring an outdoor pool, bar, and terrace with views toward the basilica.

Bertinas Boutique Living ⭐⭐⭐

📍 Address: San Lawrenz, Gozo, Malta

Boutique accommodation in the neighboring village of San Lawrenz, within easy reach of both Għarb and the dramatic Dwejra coastline.

Hotel Kempinski San Lawrenz ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📍 Address: Triq ir-Rokon, San Lawrenz, Gozo, Malta

🌐 Website: kempinski.com

Gozo's premier luxury resort, set in beautiful grounds near Għarb, offering spa facilities, multiple restaurants, and easy access to pilgrimage sites.

🚗 Getting There

By Air:

Fly to Malta International Airport (MLA), the only commercial airport serving the Maltese Islands, located approximately 45 km from Għarb. Major European carriers and low-cost airlines serve Malta year-round.

By Ferry from Malta:

From the airport, travel to Ċirkewwa Ferry Terminal at Malta's northern tip (approximately 1 hour by bus route X1 or TD1, or 45 minutes by taxi, €32-38 fixed rate). The Gozo Channel ferry departs every 30-45 minutes for the scenic 25-minute crossing to Mġarr Harbour, Gozo. Foot passenger fare: €4.65. Cars can be taken aboard for €15.70.

By Fast Ferry from Valletta:

Gozo Highspeed operates fast ferries between Valletta's Grand Harbour and Mġarr Harbour, Gozo (45 minutes). This is convenient if staying in Valletta, but services may be cancelled in rough weather. One-way: €7.50; return: €12.

Getting to Għarb from Mġarr Harbour:

Bus route 311 connects Mġarr Harbour to Victoria (Rabat), Gozo's capital. From Victoria, route 91 serves Għarb and Ta' Pinu. Alternatively, taxis are readily available at the harbour. Renting a car provides the most flexibility for exploring Gozo.

By Car:

From Mġarr Harbour, follow signs toward Victoria, then continue west toward Għarb (approximately 15 minutes). The Ta' Pinu Basilica is well signposted. Free parking is available at the basilica.

📚 Further Reading

Books:

Articles & Online Resources:

🎥 Recommended Videos

🔗 Useful Links

🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations

Gozo's compact size makes several other pilgrimage sites easily accessible from Għarb:

🪶 Closing Reflection

"Here, in place of the splendid edifice we see today, there stood only a tiny chapel in a state of disrepair. Its demolition was decreed: it seemed to be the end. Yet a series of events would turn things around, as if the Lord wanted to say to this people too: 'You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight is in her, and your land Married.'"

— Pope Francis, Homily at the National Shrine of Ta' Pinu, Gozo, April 2, 2022