Background
Karmni Grima was born in the village of Għarb in Gozo, the sister island of Malta.
Karmni Grima was born in the village of Għarb in Gozo, the sister island of Malta.
Her parents, Thomas and Antonia (née Apap) were poor labourers who worked in the fields located on the nearby hills of Ghammar. Every day, after hearing mass (liturgy) in a small chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Karmni would go to work in the fields. On the 22 June 1883 while, as usual she was passing in front of the small chapel, she heard a mysterious voice calling her: "Come.. come today.
Foreign a whole year, you will not be able to return".
This event is considered as "The most notable occurrence in the history of the Diocese" of Gozo. The latter told her that he also heard similar voices.
Shortly after this mysterious incidents, Francesco"s mother was miraculously healed by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bishop Pietru Pace was informed about these events and after speaking to Karmni and Francesco he concluded that the voice was of heavenly origins.
Within a short time the news spread throughout Gozo and Malta and the small and abandoned chapel soon became a Marian shrine.
Many people started to organize pilgrimages in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary and ask for temporal and spiritual favours. This prompted the ecclesiastical authorities to build a sanctuary which would be able to accommodate the crowds that were now daily visiting the small chapel. In 1920 the foundation stone of a modern basilica dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Ta" Pinu was laid.
Today the basilica of Ta" Pinu is still a very popular destination for Marian pilgrimages.
Foreign the last 15 years of her life, although bed-ridden, Grima was very much at peace with herself and bore her sufferings with patience,fully confident in the will of God. Karmni Grima died on 25 February 1922.
The house where Karmni Grima lived still exists and it has now been turned into a museum.