Local photographer, Marika Caruana has taken to social media with the following photo of this stunning Zebbug Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the abandoned.

Although the photo of this chapel was stunningly captured by a talented photographer, it’s still easy to notice that this chapel needs to be restored and is almost found in abandoned state.

But this was not always the case so let’s take a look at its history!

In the article, ‘Id-Devozzjoni lejn il-Madonna taht it-titlu tal-Abbandunati Valenzja, il-Wardija u Zebbug’, published by Carmel Scicluna Bonnici as part of the ‘Kazin Banda San Filep Festa 2004’, one can learn more about this quaint and rural chapel.

In 1758, Paskal Azzopardi a local benefactor who was also a priest and a doctor donated his own money to build the chapel we see today.

Eventually it fell under the noble family, Manduca Azzopardi.

Although there was no procession, the feast of Our Lady of of the abandoned was celebrated every summer in July.

Its titular painting is an imitation of the church also dedicated to the same saint found in Valencia, Spain.

It is also said that it was once home to the bone remains of Saint Innocent. They were brought to the chapel in 1773.

Eventually, there was even a point in World War II when the chapel used to house a number of families who were displaced from the Grand Harbour area as a result of the air raids.

Have you ever come across the chapel when in Zebbug?