The Dominican friars came to Malta in 1450 and built their first friary at Rabat over a cave where according to tradition the Virgin Mary had spoken to a sportsman who had taken refuge there.

The Church recently increased in importance due to tears found coming out of the Madonna statue which is kept in the crypt of the church itself.

Although the Ecclesiastical Authorities have not expressed themselves over this phenomenon, however the larger amount of pilgrims to the sanctuary are witness to this happening which to date is still unexplained.