Since Saint Paul, the Maltese have had a constant devotion to Mary

Saint Luke is not only credited with the Gospel According to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles: Eastern churches consider him as the original “iconographer,” responsible for “writing” the first icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This is the very same Luke who was also Paul’s companion and scribe during his trips around the Mediterranean, preaching the gospel. On his way to trial in Rome in the year 60, Paul was shipwrecked off the northwestern coast of Malta and spent the unnavigable winter months there. During his stay, he converted the island’s governor, Publius (Malta’s first bishop and first saint), healed the sick and won souls for Christ, establishing the very roots of Maltese Christianity. Luke tells the story (notice it is written in the first person of the plural, “we”) as follows, in Acts 28:

Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. … the sick on the island came and were cured. They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.

Since then —and to this day— the Maltese are among the most passionate Catholics in the world. With an uninterrupted two-millennia long tradition of rich Christian heritage, it is only natural that the country has more than one church per square kilometer. In fact, there are enough chapels and churches in the archipelago for you to attend Mass in a different one, almost every day, for a whole year: a whooping 359 in total. (…)

Most of these churches are dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and some of them are known for being places where countless special, miraculous graces have been granted to many throughout the centuries. The many ex-votos covering one of the walls of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha for prayers answered —everything from handwritten notes to tiny baby clothes, and even a motorcycle helmet— confirm this is the case, and pilgrims travel in droves to either ask the Virgin for a special grace as much as to thank her for those already received.

Adapted from “The Marian legacy of Saint Luke in Malta”