Our Lady of Ransom Chapel - Selmun, Malta - Modern Chapel at Sunset

The small Chapel of Our Lady of Ransom at Selmun, silhouetted against the warm evening sky in the rural landscape of northern Malta.

This photograph shows the Chapel of Our Lady of Ransom at Selmun in northern Malta, standing against the soft light of the setting sun. The simple limestone façade is dominated by a central green doorway, a small clock and an open bell tower crowned by a cross, while the surrounding trees and countryside emphasize the chapel’s quiet rural setting. The modern chapel continues a much older religious tradition associated with nearby Selmun Palace. An earlier chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Ransom was located within the 18th-century palace and was connected with the Monte di Redenzione, an institution established to help redeem Maltese people held in captivity. An ecclesiastical benefice was established there in 1792, and the palace chapel was notable for an altarpiece painted by the renowned artist Antoine de Favray. The chapel later served residents of the Selmun area. When the palace and surrounding property were developed for hotel use during the 20th century, this separate chapel was built nearby to provide the local community with a new place of worship.