Malta (Northern Region) – Pilgrim Crosses (Xemxija)

On my heritage trail walk, more on which later, I noticed these crosses scratched into the wall. The big board sign above them also alerted me to their presence though if I’m being fair, and not just claiming to be particularly noticeable.

Pilgrims used to walk this route, along the old Roman road, to Old Lady’s Sanctuary in Mellieħa, towards the north of Malta. I assume that the pilgrims had no idea that they walked by a Punic tomb on their route up the hill. In any event, the crosses were thought to have been marked by pilgrims after resting from walking up the hill.