The icon is in the form of the genre "Our Lady of Tenderness", a form which depicts Jesus kissing His Mother and she looking at us inviting us into their Love.
It is amazing that I lived in Valletta for a while and never knew about this Church until after my second visit to Malta.
The churches there are among the most beautiful in the world.
Here is a photo of the inside. May this church flourish. A commentator on the Byzantine Catholic Forum has offered some information on this church.
Our Lady of Damascus (Madonna taâ- Damaxxena) Greek-Catholic Church in Valletta (Malta)
The church was built between 1576 and 1587 by the Rhodian Noble Giovanni Kalamias on the site donated by Grand Master del Monte (1565-1572, cfr. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_de_Monte). During World War II it was destroyed on 24th March 1942, but was rebuilt and consecrated on 15th August 1951 by bishop Georgios Halavazis , 1881-1957, cfr.http://www.elcathex.com/eke/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1250&Itemid=), from 1920 till 1957 titular bishop of Theodoropolis and Apostolic Eparch of Istanbul and, from 1932, Greece (of the Faithful of Byzantine Rite). The treasures of this church are the Icon of Our Lady of Damascus, which was crowned in 1931, on the 15th Centenary of the Council of Ephesus (A.D. 431). It was brought over by some Greeks who accompanied the Knights of St John when they were expelled from Rhodes in 1523. The other Icon is that of the Virgin Eleimonitria. During the Second World War more than 30 Icons of different sizes were lost under the ruins of the church. These were replaced by over than 30 new Icons, mostly the work of the Russian artist Gregorio Malzteff (1881 - 1952). But one can still admire the precious Icon of the Deposition from the Cross, a Crucified Christ made by the local painter Anton Inglott (1915-1945), and the Icon of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin made by the contemporary Ukranian artist Giovenale.
And here is more about the icon from the website noted above:
It was brought in Malta in 1530 with the treasure of the order. Grand Master Villers De L’Isle Adam placed it in the church of St. Catherine in Borgo del Castello. It remain there till 1587 when it was solemnly transported across the harbour, in the most glorious gallery of the Order, to the new city of Valletta where it was placed in the church Of Our Lady Of Damascus. Grand Master Jean De La Vallette was a fervent devotee of this Madonna. When the icon was taken to Valletta the Grand Master left his cap and sword on the steps of the alter as a votive offering.
Between 1963 and 1966 the icon was cleaned and restored in the General Institute of Art Restoration in Rome at the expense of the Italian government. The patient work of the restorers who removed layers of grime and successive over paintings accumulated over the centuries, brought the picture back to its original beauty.
I would like to ask her intercession for the marchers in Washington, all the pregnant women considering abortions and all the pro-life priests and seminarians. May Our Lady of Damascus go with you.
