- Address
Viaktu Tal-Hniena, Il-Qrendi, Malta
- Web
http://qrendilocalcouncil.org.mt/poi/chapels/madonnatalhniena - Visiting Hours
Unknown - What to see
Painting of Our Lady and St. Cajetan
The Shrine or Sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy stands on the site of an earlier medieval church that served the village of Hal Lew (then part of Żurrieq but now part of Qrendi). The original church, probably dating from the 13th century, was deconsecrated during the pastoral visit of Bishop Dusina in 1575, but because of its importance as a place of pilgrimage and devotion, a new church was built in the 17th century.
The Baroque architecture of the new building stands out with a sculpted parvis and 14 representations of saints known as the Holy Helpers. The titular one, a painting by Giuseppe d’Arena, depicts Our Lady holding the infant Jesus, crowned by angels and flanked by St. Cajetan and faithful departed souls. The Sanctuary boasts the generosity of the Knight Fra Philipp-Wolfgang von Guttenberg, a German benefactor of the Order of St. John, whose family emblem, the English Rose, is reflected in various works of art and details in and around the church.
The site, currently undergoing restoration, has a rich history, being a point of pilgrimage with papal indulgences and the notable presence of a German benefactor, bringing a unique nuance to the history of the Maltese Way.
