The new mosaics adorning the new parvis project at Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary in Gharb were inaugurated last Sunday. The ceremony was led by Gozo Bishop Mario Grech, together with Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Mgr George Bugeja, OFM, Apostolic Vigar of Tripoli and Apostolic Administrator of Benghazi, Libya.

The mosaics, featuring representations of the 20 mysteries of the rosary, are mounted on four circular walls round the open parvis. The project is expected to cost over a €1 million. However, only €300,000 have been raised through donations.

“This project was badly needed since the parvis, which for many years has served as a car park, had sustained a lot of structural damage. In fact, the whole parvis has been excavated, replaced and treated with waterproof membrane and given new surfacing,” Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary rector Fr Gerard Buhagiar, said.

The mosaics were commissioned to the Centro Aletti of Rome, under the guidance of Fr Marco Ivan Rupnik, SJ, of Slovenia. The Centro Aletti is a renowned sacred art studio. Works by the studio are to be found in around 150 churches worldwide.

A video message for the occasion by Pope Francis was shown at the end of the inauguration, while rosary beads were given to each family. Present for the ceremony were new Gozo Minister Jysten Caruana and outgoing minister Anton Refalo.

On Saturday, June 17, eve of the inauguration, an international festival of Catholic music, entitled Il Mondo Canta Maria, was also held on the sanctuary parvis.

The festival, organised with the collaboration of Radio Kolbe of Schio, Vicenza, featured Italian singers Tony Nevoso, Fra Leonardo, Padre Giosi Cento and the group Nuova Aurora. Local singers included Ivan Grech of Winter Moods and Mikaela Bajada.

Both events were broadcast live on Radju Marija.