Last year, on the occasion of the Special Jubilee Year of Mercy, St Dominic parish church organised for the first time a penitential pilgrimage with the miraculous effigy of the Ecce Homo venerated at the church in Valletta.

Since the pilgrimage was a great success, the Dominican community decided that they would hold the pilgrimage every year.

In fact, this year it will be held on March 17, starting from the church at 6pm, followed by sung Mass by parish priest Michael Camilleri, OP, at 7pm.

According to the parish history books, there is nothing recorded about the origin this effigy. But devotion towards it was already strong at the beginning of the 17th century. Proof of this were the many devotional offerings made by parishioners, including money donations and precious items.

Many are those who recall what used to be said in the past about this effigy. In 1864, when marble works were taking place in the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament at the parish church, a man one day hid behind the scaffolding in the chapel when it was about to close and forced open the effigy’s niche, stealing all precious items found inside it.

He also tried to take a silver rod from Christ’s hands, but did not manage – to the extent that the bent rod remained stuck in his hands.

The following day, a large crowd gathered in the church to see what had happened. The Dominican prior removed the rod from Christ’s hands without much pressure, with everyone saying this was a miracle.

From then onwards, the devotion towards Christ’s effigy grew bigger and stronger. It is believed that after some time the thief returned all the stolen items during confession.