Via Crucis

The Għammar Hill

The Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu had asked Franġisk Portelli to advocate devotion towards the hidden wound on Christ's shoulder caused by the heavy wooden cross. Because of this, after the end of World War II, a small number of devotees began to make a repentance walk up the steep path to the top of Għammar Hill, situated opposite Ta' Pinu Sanctuary. A proposal was made for the transformation of the hillside into a Via Crucis thus making it possible to pilgrim, to walk uphill and meditate the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord. The original models of the statues were wrought by Alfred Camilleri Cauchi and where commissioned by the rector Mgr. Lawrence Portelli in 1970, to the Italian Firm Tiemistocle Sarti, under the direction of the artist Gualtiero Luisi. Mgr. Benedict Camilleri who succeeded Mgr. Portelli as rector of the Basilica on 15 June 1970, took a keen interest in the setting up of the Via Crucis, widening the path leading from Ta' Pinu Parvis to the hilltop of Għammar, the plantation of tress alongside the way and the open-air amphitheatre on the summit of the hill.

Now days during the Holy Week, a meditation of the Way of the Cross is organised on the Għammar Hill and is led by H.E. Mgr Mario Grech, Bishop of Gozo together with the participation of faithful from the diocese of Gozo and also from that of Malta.