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On 9th April 1942, two German
Luftwaffe pilots attacked Ta' Qali airfield near Mosta. One of them dropped
a bomb over the Mosta Dome. It was a precise hit. The pilot was then hit by
anti-aircraft fire and drowned. The second pilot, Professor Sauer, almost
perished at sea himself in another raid only eight days after the attack on
Mosta. He was rescued after a week in the water. A catholic, he lived with
the remorse of seeing his colleague destroy a unique church. This remorse
lasted 33 years. In 1975 he returned to Malta as a tourist and went to
look at the ruins. Instead he found the majestic Mosta Dome, third largest
in the world, standing supreme. Had the Maltese built an exact replica?
Actually, the bomb went right through the church dome while a service was
taking place with 300 people inside. The bomb missed all of the
congregation, slid along the floor and came to rest without exploding.
Today, the bomb can still be seen in the ante room along which also houses
the gift shop made up of gifts from all parts of the world.
Mosta is the capital of the St Maries for two reasons. First, its central
location; the very name, previously Musta, is derived from an Arabic word
for 'centre'. The second is its unusual church with immense dome designed
by Grognet de Vasse (1773 - 1862). This was built around the old church,
which was kept in use until the outer dome was finished. The ceiling of the
old church was the only scaffolding that was employed for the new dome,
which is built in a series of concentric steps. Only when the dome was
completed (1860) was the original church dismantled. This wasn't just a
remarkable engineering feat but also a colossal act of faith. While the
outside of the church is a monument to de Vasse, the interior is a memorial
to Parish Priest Gio Maria Schembri, who for 26 years led the unparalleled
effort. The high, spherical vault, blue except for the various heavenly
scenes, represents the paradise into which Mosta's patron saint ascended.
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