Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish church, Sliema, better known as Sacro Cuor, was declared a Marian sanctuary over the weekend in a ceremony during which Archbishop Charles Scicluna crowned the titular statue.

Last month, the Sliema church celebrated 100 years since it became the second of the town’s four parishes in 1918.

It was preceded by the church of Our Lady Star of the Sea (Stella Maris), which became a parish church in 1878, and was followed by St Gregory the Great church, elevated to a parish in 1943, and Jesus of Nazareth parish church in 1973. The church owes its origin to Dun Pawl Vella, a priest from Valletta.

Seeing Sliema’s ever-increasing  population in the 19th century, and the opening of Prince of Wales Road, which led to new residences in the area, in around 1874 Fr Vella felt a call to build a new church for the Maltese province of the Order of Friars Minor to cater for the spiritual needs of residents in the locality.

Artist Gerolamo Darmanin was commissioned to create the statue of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which was ceremoniously brought to the church on June 26, 1881, the day it was consecrated and opened for worship. A convent for the Franciscans was eventually built next to the church.

Last week’s celebration was also attended by Bishop of Tripoli George Bugeja, Bishop Emeritus of Garissa Paul Darmanin, Apostolic Nuncio Alessandro d’Errico and the Franciscan provincial, Fr Richard Grech.

The congregation packed the church to full capacity, spilling on to the streets, from where people could watch the proceedings on a big screen set up outside.

The defining moment came when Mgr Scicluna crowned the statue of Our Lady, to the indescribable joy and deafening applause of those present.

A royal fanfare was played from the organ balcony, heralding the singing of the popular Marian hymn Viva Dejjem by the congregation.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna outside the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus church in Sliema.