An acute dry spell which four centuries ago had brought Gozo’s population to its knees was a blessing in disguise for a deprived unmarried woman who received a large sum of money raised during a religious pilgrimage.

A document recently unearthed by Assistant National Archivist Joseph Bezzina reveals that between September and November 1615 there had been a “gran penuria di pioggia in quest Isola di Gozzo” – an acute rainless period in Gozo.

For this reason on Sunday November 15, 1615, the Universitas Gaudisii, which was the regional government of Gozo during the rule of the Knights of St John, had organised a pilgrimage of prayer.

Stretching over nine kilometres of rough terrain, the pilgrims departed from the Cathedral in the Citadel, Victoria, to the Immaculate Conception Chapel in Qala.

As a sign of their devotion the faithful had been urged to make a donation that could then be used as a dowry for an engaged woman who had no financial means to get married.

The offer aroused huge interest, to the point that the winning ‘candidate’ had to be drawn by lots at the end of the Qala pilgrimage.

The lucky winner was a certain Ġakbina, daughter of Antonio Mercieca, who received the sum of 12 ‘onzi’ which was roughly equivalent to 300 grams of silver – a considerable amount in those days.

The sum probably reflected the degree of desperation which the Gozitan population was going through, whose last resort was to do a good deed in the hope God would redeem them by opening the heavens.

From these historical documents it also emerged that Ġakbina would receive 10 onzi on her wedding day, with the remaining amount being donated to her on the feast of St John the Baptist, patron saint of the Knights of Malta.

Another condition was that the marriage had to be celebrated at the Church of St Nicholas of Mira at the Citadel. The choice of venue was no coincidence at this was the patron saint of those facing unfavourable circumstances, like the Gozitan people at the time.

Ten years later, however, this church was demolished and built from scratch on the orders of Bishop Baldassare Cagliares who decreed that it should be dedicated to the Flight into Egypt, the biblical event in which Joseph fled to Egypt with Mary and infant son Jesus to escape from King Herod’s infanticide spree.

The church, which was restored two years ago, is also home to one of the most valuable titular paintings, which is now exhibited at the Gozo Cathedral Museum.