The Amphibians Diving Club recently organised a diving event to mark the 20th anniversary since the placing of a statue of the Madonna at Cirkewwa by the club in November, 1987.

More than 20 club members participated in the event, which consisted of a group dive to the site where the statue of Our Lady was originally placed 20 years ago.

Before the dive, the club members joined fellow diver Fr Silvio Bezzina in a short prayer and a moment of reflection on the significance of the event. All divers then proceeded to the underwater cave where the statue stands at a depth of 18 metres. To mark this special occasion, club secretary Marc Balluci then placed a commemorative plaque inside the cave next to Our Lady’s statue. The glass-carved plaque was manufactured specifically for this occasion by club member Antoine Galea of A~C Stained Glass, Naxxar.

Club chairman Charles Azzopardi said that “the marine life that has grown on and around the statue renders the shrine an interesting underwater feature, that has led to the publication of numerous photographs of this location, in many local and overseas dive websites and publications”.