Whenever I slip my anchor and hop on the mesmerising island of Gozo, I make it a point to visit the magnificent Ta' Pinu church in Għarb.
Adrenaline rushes through my body as soon as I glimpse that architectural masterpiece.
The temple seems to transport me onto a higher level of well-being. Is this a re-awakening of a spiritual yearning or does nature play tricks on me?
Once inside I try to take in the simple yet fascinating layout and arabesque carvings that dot most of the honey-hued limestone.
And I often wonder who was the ingenious master mason who built this gem. Moreover, I wonder who were Karmni Grima and Frenċ Mercieca, particularly Karmni who, apparently, was touched by the presence of the Virgin and whose testimony led to the building of this haven of peace.
I came across the intriguing background of these three personalities in the two-volume Dictionary Of Maltese Biographies edited by Michael Schiavone, published by PIN - Pubblikazzjonijiet Indipendenza and printed by Gutenberg Press.
The master mason was Vitor Vella who started building the church in 1919, completing it 17 years later.
Karmni Grima had claimed to have heard the Virgin speaking to her on June 22, 1883 and over a year later.
Frenċ Mercieca, known as Frenċ tal-Għarb who had earned a wide ranging popularity as a healer using natural remedies, had assisted in raising funds for the building of Ta' Pinu and paid for paintings and sculptures inside the church.
The dictionary is more of a who's who of over 3,500 personalities hailing from a whole spectrum of disciplines, ranging from medicine, astronomy, art and academia to music, sport and literature.
This laborious work, which is a follow-up to Maltese Biographies Of The Twentieth Century, published in 1977, also features bibliographies and works published by scholars.
In contrast to that first edition, this work carries details about personalities who lived as far back as the 15th century. This is, however, not a book of the dead because the majority of the people dealt with are very much alive and kicking.
Luciano Micallef designed the dictionary's cover, which presents a vibrating face to the two volumes and reminds me of works by that fabulous American icon, Andy Warhol.
The dictionary is a must have for anyone who is interested in the people - like who was the first Maltese pilot and who was secretary to Alexander Ball, Civil Commissioner of Malta between 1802-1809 - and the history of these islands.