Painting of the Assumption to heaven of the Holy Virgin Mary. This painting is the altarpiece of the inner chapel of the Ta’ Pinu Shrine. It was painted by Amadeo Perugino in 1619, an Italian painter who probably was a member of the Inquisitor’s staff. It was the Madonna in this painting that is said to have called Karmni Grima and Francesco Portelli to pray in the chapel. In 1935, when the basilica we see today was completed, the image of Our Lady was crowned with a golden crown by Cardinal Alessio Lepider by decree signed by the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Eugene Pacelli, later Pope Pius XII.
As you can see there are five golden stars around the head of the Virgin. These were put there in 1990 by the beloved Pope John Paul II on one of his visits to Malta when he visited the shrine. After praying in the chapel the Pope celebrated mass in the forecourt of the Basilica.
On his first (and till now, only) visit to Malta, in April, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI presented the Holy Virgin with a golden rose – seen at the bottom of the painting.
Many thanks for looking and for your wonderful comments on yesterday’s picture.
Well it is a magnificent piece of art, though I wonder if the stars that were added at such a later date was a good idea? You would think any alteration to such a masterpiece would not be somethng typically done.
Have just enjoyed a browse through your uploads for the week. That stone work is amazing. Thanks for taking the time to write the great narratives that accompany each upload...very interesting!
