It was built in the early 17th century by Trapani’s coral hunters, in thanksgiving for the find of a huge amount of coral due to the intercession of St. Liberale (or Liberante).
It is said that a Corallaro (coral hunter) from Trapani, having been swept onto the Tunisian coast, was then captured and killed in the vicinity of the place where St. Liberal had been martyred for not renouncing his faith in Christ. On the same day other coral hunters from Trapani made the huge coral find. Back in Trapani, they deposited the precious cargo at the place among the rocks where Our Lady’s church stood: it would be later rebuilt and dedicated to St. Liberal.
The site has always been a place of devotion for all people from the local fishing trade, who organize festivities in his honour on the day dedicated to the saint.
