The Pilgrims’ Lodge is built of  a rock formation particular to the Mellieha area (ġebla tal-ġir)which due to its fragility is rarely used elsewhere on the island.

The Pilgrims’ Lodge suffered various damages since it was built. It was damaged a number of times through earthquakes. Lately, the heavy traffic which passes along Marfa Road accelerated this damage. Since some years ago it was noticed that the outer wall of the upper storey, that facing Marfa Road, was leaning out. This movement was progressive and continuous so that recently it was in imminent danger of collapsing, as is shown in an architect’s report. This would have been a double tragedy because, first of all, the National Sanctuary and Mellieha itself would have suffered the loss of an iconic building, and secondly, it could easily have caused a serious accident because Marfa Road is a very busy artery leading to the Gozo ferry.

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The method used for stopping this outward movement was that of stapling the outward wall to the inner one. Two-meter deep holes were bored all around the building, at about 40 cm apart from each other, both at the roof of the lower storey, and the ceiling of the upper one. Steel bars were then introduced in the holes from one side to the other. The holes themselves were then grouted so that this created a grid of steel stapling  the outer to the inner walls. Steel mesh was used to create a cantilever effect, displacing the weight of the outer wall onto the rock platform which forms the sanctuary courtyard. This necessitated the removal of the tiles and rubble covering the barrel vaulting which forms the roof of the lower storey so that the necessary reinforcement could be introduced. The barrel vaulting itself was left in place so as to retain the original elements of the building. The same was done on the upper floor which is roofed by stone slabs, ‘xorok’, placed on stone arches.

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The expenses involved are enormous for our parish community. They have already exceeded half a million euros. We believe that the parishioners are responding very generously to our appeals to contribute to this project. At the same time we obtained financial help from the GAL Foundation to help us widen doors leading from one room to another, thus making the project accessible to all.. We also received help from the Good Causes Fund and the APS Bank which have helped us with the general expenses in the necessary construction restoration.

We thank our sponsors and contributors for helping us realise this project. We aim to transform this building into a museum with a difference through part-financing from ERDF funds. It will not only showcase past pilgrims and pilgrimages, as well as exhibits which have not been available to the public so far, but, we hope, it will create as well a pilgrim’s experience to those visiting it, ideally then inviting the participant to become a pilgrim him/her self by visiting the sanctuary.