Saint Demetrius Chapel
The chapel of Saint Demetrius is the most westernmost chapel on Gozo. It is built on a promontory surrounded by agricultural land. Build sometime in the 1400s, mass was celebrated regularly until the chapel was deconsecrated in the 1600s.
The chapel was not taken care for many years and fell into a dilapidated state. In the 1700s it was rebuilt and the structure still stands today.
The Interior
The altar picture shows Saint Demetrius on horseback with an old woman praying and a young man in chains. This relates to the legend attached to this chapel.Â
The interior is nicely decorated considering the small size of the church. The paintings inside the church represent Saint Aristarchus, and the Assumption of Mary among others. The main painting is of Saint Demetrius dressed as a soldier on horseback.
Saint Demetrius Legend
The legend pertaining to this church gives us a scene which happened often in Gozo. An old woman named Zgugina was at home one night with her son. A group of Corsairs looted the area and took her son as prisoner. The woman ran to Saint Demetrius chapel praying him to bring back her son. Saint Demetrius heard her cries, rode out of the painting following the corsairs, and returned with her son. Zgugina kept her promise to keep an oil lamp lit up day and night. Legend says that part of the rock on which the chapel was built fell down into the sea. Sailors often reported seeing a light from the seabed , believing Zgugina’s oil lamp still burns under the sea.
