Annual Votive Lamp Pilgrimage to St Paul’s Grotto
The 65th Votive Lamp Pilgrimage commenced at 17.55hrs with a procession from St Paul’s Basilica to the Sanctuary of St. Publius, where Archpriest Fr. Joe Mizzi read a short history of the votive lamp and said some prayers. The participants then processed back to St. Paul’s Church, during which the votive lamp was borne by members of the Order.
Every year, different parishes in Malta and Gozo present the oil to be burnt in St. Paul’s Grotto for the forthcoming year. Mgr Paul Vella, on behalf of the Maltese Association, presented the oil this year.
Holy Mass in St. Paul’s Church was then celebrated, with the participation of the St Paul’s Basilica, Rabat, Choir.
The oil was presented and the votive lamp was lit after the reading of the Gospel and sermon.
SMOM’s Ambassador to Palestine and President of the Holy Family Hospital Foundation, H.E. Michele Burke Bowe and Dr Bowe, were also in attendance.
At the end of the Mass, the votive lamp was carried in procession to St Paul’s Grotto where it was hung in front of the statue of St Paul. A short prayer was said.
Refreshments, with the traditional Rabat pastizzi, followed in the garden of the Wignacourt Museum after the event, in line with the tradition set up by our late lamented confrere, Monsignor John Azzopardi.
The Votive Lamp pilgrimage knows its origin from 1960 during the celebrations to commemorate the arrival of Saint Paul in Malta. On the 21sty of July 1960, after Mass was celebrated at Saqqajja, in Rabat by the Papal Legate His Eminence Cardinal Traglia, a procession was held from there to Saint Paul’s Grotto, by Members of the Order coming from various nationalities in Malta for the celebrations, one of whom carried a silver votive lamp presented by the Sovereign Order to Malta. Prince Enzo di Napoli Rampolla, Chancellor of the Order, explained that the presentation of the votive lamp was meant to be a permanent remembrance of the Knights’ visit to Malta.
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