pope visit malta

Pope in Malta: Our warm welcome to others can help save the world

By Thaddeus Jones

On Sunday afternoon, Pope Francis visited Malta's "Pope John XIII Peace Laboratory," founded in 1971 by Franciscan friar Dionysius Mintoff, following an appeal made by Pope John XXIII, who called for the world to reflect on peace.

The Peace Lab runs an extensive adult education programme and assists people of all backgrounds and cultures as a way to show solidarity to those in need and offer an oasis where people can encounter others with openness and warmth. 

The gathering with Pope Francis started with introductory words by the 91-year-old founder, Father Mintoff, who explained how the Pope's visit helps strengthen the faith that inspires their work in helping those fleeing war and famine. 

Two of the migrants present, Daniel and Siriman, shared their difficult personal stories of fleeing their homelands and the life-threatening challenges they faced along the way.

Daniel, from Nigeria, had given the Pope a painting he made depicting his shipwreck as he travelled across the Mediterranean Sea, where some of his friends died.

Pope Francis thanked them , also on behalf of the many others forced to leave their homelands in search of a secure refuge, for opening their hearts and sharing their lives.

Repeating what he said in when he returned to Lesbos in December 2021, the Pope said: “I am here… to assure you of my closeness… I am here to see your faces and look into your eyes,” assuring them that he always remembers them and keeps their plight in his heart and prayers.

Continuing a tradition of 'unusual kindness'

Recalling the "unusual kindness" with which the Maltese welcomed the Apostle Paul and his companions when they were shipwrecked on Malta - which also provided the theme of this Apostolic Journey - the Pope expressed his hope that Malta may continue in this ancient tradition in how it treats those arriving on its shores today.

He recalled the many thousands of men, women, and children fleeing war and poverty, and risking their lives crossing the Mediterranean for safer shores, with so many sadly ending in tragedy.

Stopping the 'shipwreck of civilization'

The Pope warned that we risk a "shipwreck of civilization" with this reality, but that "by conducting ourselves with kindness and humanity" we can keep the ship afloat.

In practice, he said, this means putting ourselves in the shoes of those fleeing their homelands, trying to understand their life stories, knowing that it could be us  - or our sons and daughters - and doing whatever we can to help out.

He recalled at this very moment there could be boats heading our way, brothers and sisters seeking safety, mentioning again those forced to flee from Ukraine, but also calling on us to remember the many suffering people in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

All, he said, are in his thoughts and prayers, in particular the 90 migrants who perished off the coast of Libya in recent days.

Listening and solidarity

Pope Francis made reference to how Daniel and Siriman described their feeling of being uprooted, which leaves its mark over time and takes time to heal. But experiences of human kindness can act as a medicine, as can meeting others who are open to listening and accompanying them, whether their own companions or those welcoming and assisting them.

That, he added, is why migrant reception centres can play an important role, allowing "human kindness" to be expressed and experienced, and for Christians, this is about fidelity to the Gospel of Jesus, who said: “I was a stranger and you welcomed Me.” This all takes time and patience, the Pope said.

“It takes time, immense patience, and above all a love made up of closeness, tenderness, and compassion, like God’s love for us.”

Agents of welcome and fraternity

The Pope added that his dream is that migrants themselves might in turn "become witnesses of those human values essential for a dignified and fraternal life," the values they hold dear in their hearts and that are part of their roots.

Once their own suffering has subsided, they can share their interior richness, "a precious patrimony of humanity," with others.

“This is the way! The way of fraternity and social friendship. Here is the future of the human family in a globalized world. I am happy to be able to share this dream with you today, just as you, in your testimonies, have shared your dreams with me!”

Fires of fraternity

In conclusion, the Pope encouraged everyone to not lose heart thinking nothing can be done, but to go forth promoting the dignity of all persons. 

“Let us light fires of fraternity around which people can warm themselves, rise again and rediscover hope. Let us strengthen the fabric of social friendship and the culture of encounter, starting from places such as this. They may not be perfect, but they are, truly, “laboratories of peace”.”

In conclusion, the Pope and others present lighted a candle before the image of Our Lady. 

Pope Francis described the action as a very simple yet meaningful gesture, noting that in the Christian tradition, the little flame is a symbol of faith in God, a symbol of hope, "a hope that Mary, our Mother, keeps alive even at most difficult moments."

He assured all of them of his prayers and solidarity, and concluded by reading the following prayer:

Lord God, Creator of the universe, source of all freedom and peace, love and fraternity, you created us in your own image, breathed in us the breath of life and made us sharers in your own life of communion.

Even when we broke your covenant you did not abandon us to the power of death, but continued, in your infinite mercy, to call us back to you, to live as your sons and daughters.

Pour out upon us your Holy Spirit and grant us a new heart, sensitive to the pleas, often silent, of our brothers and sisters who have lost the warmth of their homes and homeland. 

Grant that we may give them hope by our welcome and our show of humanity. 

Make us instruments of peace and practical, fraternal love.

Free us from fear and prejudice; enable us to share in their sufferings and to combat injustice together, for the growth of a world in which each person is respected in his or her inviolable dignity, the dignity that you, O Father, have granted us and your Son has consecrated forever. 

Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here

More upcoming events:

The Pope's Agenda

Listen to our podcasts

Subscribe to our newsletters

To get the latest news

Papal audiences

Daily readings

Saint of the day

• Login with Twitter
• Login with Independent

Updated: Preparations for the Pope’s visit to Malta continue

Preparations for Pope Francis' Apostolic visit to Malta are underway, the Archdiocese of Malta said.

The Church of Malta has launched various initiatives as part of the preparation for the Pope's visit, including a Facebook page, 'Pope Francis in Malta,' where details related to the preparations and the visit will be posted.

During the two day visit, the page will continuously be updated with photos and videos from the localities and parishes visited by the Pope.

An official website for the Pope's visit was also launched. Papafrangisku.mt or popefrancis.mt includes details of the activities, the official programme, and details on how one can participate in the activities. The website also allows access to the missal of liturgical celebrations.

The Pope's speeches and homilies of the two days will also be uploaded, as well as videos of the roads which the Pope will pass from.

The song 'Welcome Here' written by Fr Rob Galea will be played at the Pope's visit. It invites people to speak up and work in favour of life and the individual's dignity. 

Pope Francis' journey through Malta

Government and Curia officials are currently working with a delegation to coordinate final preparations for the Pope's visit for the coming weekend.

The Pope is expected to visit the major sites of St George's square, the Grand Harbour, Ta' Pinu and the Granaries in Floriana.

The Pope invited Maltese people during a message from the Vatican on Wednesday to accompany him during his visit, saying also that the Maltese should be committed to welcoming people who are seeking refuge.

Upon his arrival at the Malta International Airport, Pope Francis will then pass from Triq il-Kunsill tal-Ewropa and Triq Diċembru 13.

The Pope will pass from Floriana and keep going towards Valletta to the Palace. He is expected to stop and greet the crowd at St George's square from the balcony of the Palace, at the end of his official meetings.

Then the Pope will depart from Valletta, heading on to Rabat, passing from Triq Sant' Anna in Floriana, the Mrieħel Bypass, the Central Link and up Saqqajja hill up to the Nunzjatura Appostolika in Rabat.

The Pope will then return to Valletta in the afternoon and board the Virtu Ferries catamaran Maria Dolores . He will greet the crowds along towns and villages in the Grand Harbour's vicinity.

The catamaran will head from the Grand Harbour to Mgarr Harbour, in Gozo, where he will head to Rabat towards the Ta' Pinu Sanctuary. Pope Francis will come back to Malta on the Ta' Pinu ferry.

Once in Cirkewwa, he will pass from Mellieha hill, Xemxija, St Paul's Bay bypass, Burmarrad, Mosta, and then to Rabat again towards the Nunzjatura.

On Sunday he will visit the St Paul's Grotto in Rabat and then head towards the Floriana Granaries for a Mass. The Pope will once again stop at the Nunzjatura in the afternoon and then go towards the Peace Laboratory in Hal Far. 

• don't miss

By 2pm, 42.59% vote in EP election,…

Woman in critical condition after…

Man arrested while committing a theft…

Updated: Polls open as Malta elects EP…

7 Giugno commemoration: Speaker says…

10% of EP election, 24% of local…

Man arrested in connection with string…

14 barn owls released into the wild as…

Pope Francis to visit Malta, where St. Paul washed ashore 2,000 years ago

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis will visit Malta April 2-3, a Vatican spokesman said.

Accepting the invitation of the president, civil authorities and bishops of the Mediterranean country, the pope will visit the cities of Valletta, Rabat and Floriana and the island of Gozo, Matteo Bruni, the spokesman, said in a written statement Feb. 10.

“The program and further details of the journey will be announced in the near future,” he said.

Malta is an archipelago made up of three main islands where St. Paul and his companions washed ashore nearly 2,000 years ago. Today, more than 90% of the country’s 460,000 people profess to be Catholic.

Pope Benedict XVI visited Malta in 2010 to help commemorate the 1,950th anniversary of St. Paul’s arrival and the birth of Christianity in this Mediterranean nation situated between Sicily and North Africa.

He met privately with local sex abuse victims in the midst of a worldwide storm over how the church handled clerical sex abuse; he assured the survivors that the church was doing everything in its power to bring perpetrators to justice and to prevent further abuse of young people.

The retired pope appointed his special promoter of justice at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who dealt directly with many abuse cases, then-Monsignor Charles Scicluna, to be the auxiliary bishop of Malta. Today he is Malta’s archbishop and adjunct secretary of the doctrinal congregation.

Malta -- along with Italy, Spain and Greece -- continues to be a major point of arrival for many migrants crossing the sea illegally, and current European Union policies have left these countries on their own to rescue, shelter, verify and try to integrate these migrants.

Most popular

Your source for jobs, books, retreats, and much more.

The latest from america

• Asia - Pacific
• Middle East - Africa
• Apologetics
• Benedict XVI
• Catholic Links
• Church Fathers
• Life & Family
• Liturgical Calendar
• Pope Francis
• CNA Newsletter
• Editors Service About Us Advertise Privacy

Pope Francis will make 2-day visit to Malta in April

By CNA Staff

Valletta, Malta, Feb 10, 2022 / 04:34 am

The Catholic Archdiocese of Malta confirmed on Thursday that Pope Francis intends to make a two-day visit to the country in April.

A Feb. 10 announcement on its website said that the 85-year-old pope had accepted the invitation issued by Malta’s President George Vella, the civil authorities, and the local Church.

It said that the visit to Malta and Gozo, the two largest islands in the archipelago officially known as the Republic of Malta, would take place on April 2-3.

“The pope will visit Valletta, Victoria, Floriana and Ħal Far, and the island of Gozo,” it said.

“The program and further details of the journey will be published at a later stage.”

Ħal Far is the site of an immigration reception center housing migrants from Africa.

Accepting the invitation of @presidentmt , the civil authorities and the Catholic Church of the country, @Pontifex will make an Apostolic Journey to #Malta from 2-3 April 2022. The Pope will visit #Valletta #Rabat #Floriana #ĦalFar & #Gozo . @MaltaGov pic.twitter.com/ia6s70UYjk — Archdiocese of Malta (@Archdiocese_MT) February 10, 2022

The news was also announced by Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, in a Feb. 10 statement .

The Maltese government welcomed on Thursday the trip’s confirmation by Archbishop Alessandro D’Errico, apostolic nuncio to Malta,

“The official confirmation follows the official visit of Prime Minister Robert Abela to the Holy See last October where this visit of Pope Francis to Malta was also discussed,” it noted.

The pope had initially planned to visit the country in the central Mediterranean Sea on May 31, 2020, the Solemnity of Pentecost. But the Vatican announced that the trip had been “postponed until further notice” in March 2020 amid the coronavirus crisis.

In a February 2020 pastoral letter anticipating the pope’s visit, Malta’s bishops said that the theme of the trip would be “They showed us unusual kindness” (Acts 28:2).

The Archdiocese of Malta indicated on Thursday that this will be the theme of the April 2022 visit.

An overwhelming majority of Malta’s roughly half a million population are baptized Catholics. Catholicism is the state religion under the Constitution of Malta.

The country’s leading Catholic figure is Archbishop Charles Scicluna , the archbishop of Malta since 2015 and the adjunct secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith since 2018.

John Paul II became the first pope to visit Malta in 1990 . He visited again in 2001 .

More in Europe

World’s biggest monstrance created in reparation for Spanish war leads yearly procession

The most recent papal visit, by Benedict XVI, took place on April 17-18, 2010 .

Pope Francis will make his first trip outside of Rome in 2022 on Feb. 27, when he visits the Italian city of Florence . He will speak at a meeting of bishops and mayors of the Mediterranean region. He will also meet with refugee families and celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Holy Cross.

• Catholic News ,
• Papal Visits ,
• Pope Francis ,
• Catholic Church ,
• Pope Francis in Malta 2022

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

Our mission is the truth. join us.

Your monthly donation will help our team continue reporting the truth, with fairness, integrity, and fidelity to Jesus Christ and his Church.

You may also like

Report: Pope Francis plans 2-day visit to Malta in April

The last pope to visit the country was Benedict XVI in 2010.

Which countries will Pope Francis visit in 2022?

Possible destinations include Lebanon, Malta, and Papua New Guinea.

Pope Francis says he wants to travel to Oceania and Africa

He confirmed that he would visit Greece and Cyprus in December.

Advertisement

Free Newsletters

Sign up now

Vatican publishes schedule for papal trip to Malta

A cross on top of St. Mary Magdalene Chapel, on Dingli Cliffs, is pictured as clouds obscure the sun outside the village of Dingli, Malta, in this Jan. 14, 2022, (CNS photo/Darrin Zammit Lupi, Reuters)

Junno Arocho Esteves

View Author Profile

Catholic News Service

Join the Conversation

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis' April visit to Malta, while brief, will include stops at three cities and an island, as well as meetings with authorities, local Catholics and migrants.

The Vatican Feb. 25 released the pope's schedule for the April 2-3 trip, which also includes a visit to the grotto where St. Paul stayed when he and his companions were shipwrecked.

Malta is a Mediterranean archipelago made up of three main islands, and more than 90% of the country's 460,000 people profess to be Catholic.

The pope's long-awaited trip to Malta was originally planned for 2020 to commemorate the 1,950th anniversary of St. Paul's arrival. However, the trip was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Upon his arrival in Malta, the pope will meet with Maltese President George Vella and Prime Minister Robert Abela as well as with government authorities and members of the country's diplomatic corps.

On his final day, Pope Francis will visit St. Paul's grotto and celebrate Mass in Floriana. He will also meet with migrants at the John XIII Peace Lab's center for migrants in Hal Far, before returning to Rome.

Malta — along with Italy, Spain and Greece — continues to be a major point of arrival for many migrants crossing the sea from North Africa, and current European Union policies have left these countries on their own to rescue, shelter, verify and try to integrate these migrants.

Here is the detailed schedule released by the Vatican Feb. 25. Times listed are local, with Eastern Daylight Time in parenthesis:

Saturday, April 2 (Rome, Malta)

• 8:30 a.m. (2:30 a.m.) Departure from Rome's Fiumicino airport.
• 10 a.m. (4 a.m.) Arrival at Malta international airport. Welcoming ceremony.
• 10:50 a.m. (4:50 a.m.) Meeting with President George Vella at the Grand Master's Palace in Valletta.
• 11:35 a.m. (5:35 a.m.) Meeting with Prime Minister Robert Abela at the Grand Master's Palace in Valletta.
• 11:50 a.m. (5:50 a.m.) Meeting with authorities and members of the diplomatic corps at the Grand Master's Palace in Valletta. Speech by pope.
• 3:50 p.m. (9:50 a.m.) Departure by catamaran for Gozo.
• 5 p.m. (11 a.m.) Arrival at Mgarr Harbor.
• 5:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m.) Prayer meeting at the National Shrine of "Ta' Pinu" in Gozo. Homily by pope.
• 6:45 p.m. (12:45 p.m.) Departure by ferry for Malta.
• 7:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m.) Arrival at Cirkeww Harbor.

Sunday, April 3 (Malta, Rome)

• 7:45 a.m. (1:45 a.m.) Private meeting with Jesuit priests.
• 8:30 a.m. (2:30 a.m.) Visit to the grotto of St. Paul at the Basilica of St. Paul in Rabat. Prayer by pope.
• 10:15 a.m. (4:15 a.m.) Mass at the Granaries in Floriana. Homily by pope.
• 4:45 p.m. (10:45 a.m.) Meeting with migrants at the John XXIII Peace Lab's Center for Migrants in Hal Far.
• 5:50 p.m. (11:50 a.m.) Farewell ceremony at Malta international airport.
• 6:15 p.m. (12:15 p.m.) Departure by plane for Rome.
• 7:40 p.m. (1:40 p.m.) Arrival at Rome's Fiumicino airport.

Most Read Stories

#1 Pope Francis disappoints progressives. He will do so again.

#2 Catholic Trump voters see no choice in upcoming election — even after conviction

#3 Is now the time for LGBTQ priests and religious to come out?

#4 The rise of the Catholic bully

Latest news.

The unsafe world of Lois Lowry, 30 years after 'The Giver'

'A Gentleman in Moscow' TV series won't disappoint fans of the novel

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: The reign of God is at hand

Ex-Vatican employee arrested for trying to sell Bernini manuscript

Subscribe to ncr's free newsletters.

Select any of the newsletters below, then enter your email address and click "subscribe"

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Pope Francis' visit to Malta highlights the role of St. George Preca, an advocate for teaching the gospel

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Pope Francis’ two-day visit to the tiny European country of Malta, a strongly Catholic island just south of Sicily , in April, 2022 put a spotlight on Malta’s complicated history and important contemporary concerns. Chief among these is the sharp increase in the number of asylum-seekers from Africa and the Middle East , and criticism of how Malta has treated them .

As a scholar of Catholic history and ritual , I have studied the development of the church in several European countries, and the important role that the lives of people venerated as saints have played in the way Catholics address contemporary issues.

Tradition has it that the first Maltese saint was St. Publius, the first-century bishop of the early Christian community in Malta. He was venerated as a saint long before saints were officially proclaimed by the pope . However, historians have raised questions whether Publius ever existed or served as bishop .

The only Maltese person to be officially named a saint by a pope is St. George Preca , a priest of the archdiocese of Malta in the first half of the 20th century. Preca was beatified, or given the title of “Blessed,” the second-to-last step in being proclaimed a saint, in 2001 by Pope John Paul II. In 2007 he was canonized – the last step in achieving sainthood – by Pope Benedict XVI .

Preca was born in 1880 in Malta’s capital city, Valetta, and was brought up in a town just outside of the city. After primary and secondary school, he entered the seminary of Malta and, despite severe lung problems that threatened his life, was ordained to the priesthood in 1906.

Ordinary Catholics in Malta at the time were largely uneducated . Most did not know the Bible well and instead focused on devotional practices that some priests considered almost superstitious. As a seminarian, Preca became increasingly convinced that the focus of his ministry was to be training laymen – and later, laywomen – to teach other Catholics, both children and adults, about their Catholic faith and the Bible.

A new order

Training laypeople to educate others like themselves about their faith was a revolutionary idea at the time, since usually only seminarians or priests, and sometimes nuns, would be involved in that kind of education. Before his ordination, Preca himself had become active in discussing religious topics with ordinary working men, and then teaching catechism – the principles of Catholic beliefs – to younger boys in a nearby town .

That group of young men would become the core of the new religious society for laypeople, The Society of Christian Doctrine, which Preca soon founded. Later, this society was nicknamed “Museum ” because of the dilapidated building that was its original meeting place. These unordained teachers – called catechists – were later divided into two branches , one for men and one for women.

As time went on, they established educational centers for children and adults in almost every parish in Malta . These centers are still active today in Malta and in several other countries as well, especially Australia .

Resistance to teachings

But at the beginning of the 20th century, Preca’s ideas were not immediately accepted by his more conservative superiors. Within a few years of their founding, his archbishop ordered his catechetical centers in Malta to be closed. Though they were reopened a few years later after deeper investigation, his group was not given final, official approval in Rome until 1932 . During that time, and for the remainder of his life, he encouraged members of his society to remain humble and kind in the face of hardship and criticism.

Preca died in July 1962. In October 1962, the Second Vatican Council, which was called by Pope John XXIII to modernize the Catholic Church, began in Rome. Among the reforms the council stressed was the importance of both Scripture and tradition as the foundations for Catholic Christian life, and it encouraged all Catholics to study the Bible.

Preca was a pioneer in training laypeople to become religious educators for both children and adults , focusing on Gospel teaching while encouraging them to live their lives according to its values. In fact, at Preca’s beatification in 2001, Pope John Paul II referred to him as Malta’s “second father in faith.”

In 2010 Pope Benedict XVI proposed a new evangelization movement for all members of the Catholic Church in the 21st century. This movement placed a renewed emphasis on preaching and teaching in the contemporary world, very much in line with Preca’s work in the early 20th century. Both Pope Benedict and Pope Francis have expanded the idea of this new focus on preaching and teaching the Gospel to include explicit concern for the welfare of refugees and migrants.

The pope’s visit to Malta draws new attention to the work of St. George Preca. His focus on educating Catholics more deeply on the meaning of Jesus’ teaching may provide some guidance for Malta and other countries in confronting this global issue.

[ Explore the intersection of faith, politics, arts and culture. Sign up for This Week in Religion. ]

This article is republished from The Conversation , a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Joanne M. Pierce , College of the Holy Cross .

Pope Francis’s apology for residential schools doesn’t acknowledge institutional responsibility

Why are some Roman Catholic saints called doctors of the church?

Joanne M. Pierce does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Recommended Stories

Top rbs for 2024 fantasy football, according to our experts.

The Yahoo Fantasy football analysts reveal their first running back rankings for the 2024 NFL season.

Sparks rookie Cameron Brink: 'There's a privilege' for WNBA's younger white players

The Sparks rookie had plenty to say about her WNBA rookie class, headlined by Caitlin Clark.

Angel Reese's 'weak' ejection from Sky-Liberty game draws attention, offer from Bulls' Lonzo Ball

Reese was ejected after two very quick whistles from referee Charles Watson.

Larry Allen, Cowboys legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer, dies at 52

Allen was a seven-time first-team All-Pro and part of the Cowboys' Super Bowl XXX winning team.

Vikings reveal 'Winter Warrior' alternate all-white uniforms to be worn on Week 15

The Minnesota Vikings revealed their all-white "Winter Warrior" uniforms that the team will wear for Week 15's matchup with the Chicago Bears.

Rivian's path to survival is now remarkably clear

Rivian has had a lot on its plate as it transitioned from pitch mode to selling EVs. It created an electric pickup and an electric SUV while prepping a monster IPO. It now plans to sell an even cheaper SUV that could make Rivian a dominant EV player for years to come.

2024 Fantasy football wide receiver rankings

The Yahoo Fantasy football analysts reveal their first wide receiver rankings for the 2024 NFL season.

GameStop stock soars as 'Roaring Kitty' announces livestream, reveals $382 million unrealized gain

First X, then Reddit, now YouTube. GameStop's most bullish enthusiast announced a livestream, and the stock surged.

Paul Skenes blows away Shohei Ohtani, who returns the favor in his next at-bat

The Dodgers-Pirates matchup lived up to its billing.

Sky's Chennedy Carter has 'no regrets' about foul on Caitlin Clark; Angel Reese will 'take the bad guy role'

The Sky have broken their silence about the flagrant foul on Caitlin Clark, and they had a lot to say.

Iowa basketball player Ava Jones retires due to injuries from car accident that killed her father

Ava Jones and her family were hit by an allegedly impaired driver two days after she committed to the Hawkeyes.

2025 Toyota Crown Signia First Drive: Venza replacement puts efficiency and fashion first

Our first drive review of the 2025 Toyota Crown Signia where we tell you all about it and give initial driving impressions.

Opposing players aren't fond of Caitlin Clark ... which should be good for the WNBA

Watching Clark fight through adversity and rack up rivals will only bring more eyeballs to the league.

MLB Power Rankings: Yankees, Phillies, Orioles looking like baseball's strongest teams

How do we feel about all 30 MLB teams now, compared to what we expected at the start of the season?

Yankees, Juan Soto played some mind games in Dodgers' 11-inning victory

Yankee Stadium had a Fall Classic feel to it on Friday night as the Dodgers made a rare visit to the Bronx for a duel between two of baseball's best teams.

NFL denies Packers RB Josh Jacobs' claim that wearing green isn't allowed in Brazil game due to potential violence

No, the Packers and Eagles aren't being told to not wear green for a game in Brazil.

Stock market today: Stocks dip but notch weekly wins after jobs report smashes expectations

Investors are looking to the monthly jobs report for signs of labor market cooldown pivotal to the odds for a rate cut.

2024 Fantasy football tight end rankings

The Yahoo Fantasy football analysts reveal their first tight end rankings for the 2024 NFL season.

Homebuyers are in a bittersweet market as mortgage rates drop below 7% but prices remain high

Mortgage rates fell slightly this week, according to Freddie Mac, but have hovered around 7% all year.

Report: Ex-Dolphins CB Xavien Howard allegedly shared revenge porn, texted a boy sexual images of his mother

Xavien Howard, according to a new court filing, allegedly texted a woman’s son sexually explicit images after she refused to get an abortion.

• My View My View
• Following Following
• Saved Saved

Pope to visit Malta on April 2-3, Vatican says

• Medium Text

Sign up here.

Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Alison Williams

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

World Chevron

Israeli airstrike kills two in southern Lebanon

Two people were killed on Saturday in an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese town of Aitaroun, Lebanon's state news agency NNA said on Saturday.

Pope visits Malta, refuge of St. Paul, in Mediterranean mission

Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis makes his first visit to Malta Saturday where he is expected to ask the heavily Catholic country to do more to help migrants who have risked their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe.

Issued on: 02/04/2022 - 07:18 Modified: 02/04/2022 - 07:17

The visit to the tiny island nation was scheduled two years ago but has been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, and now comes as war in Ukraine unleashes a new humanitarian emergency across Europe, with millions fleeing their homes.

Francis said on Twitter Friday that his "journey in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul" would be an "opportunity to know at first hand a Christian community with a millennia-old history".

Francis, who will visit a migrant centre during his two-day trip, is likely to renew calls for an end to the war while reminding the world not to overlook those who continue to risk their lives at sea trying to reach Europe from North Africa.

"The pope comes to our island as a herald and messenger of reconciliation and mercy not only in the Mediterranean basin, but throughout the world," the Archbishop of Malta Charles Scicluna said in Italy's Christian Family magazine published Friday.

The 85-year-old pontiff's visit to Malta follows those of his predecessors Benedict XVI in 2010 and two visits by John Paul II, in 1990 and 2001.

The country's history is steeped in Catholicism going back to St. Paul, who is believed to have been shipwrecked on Malta en route to his execution in Rome.

About 85 percent of Malta's 516,000 inhabitants say they are Catholic believers. Catholicism is part of the constitution and Malta is the only European Union country that completely bans abortion.

Seeking refuge

The pontiff will conduct mass Sunday before an estimated crowd of 10,000 people in Floriana, next to the capital Valletta, following a visit to the Grotto of St. Paul, where the apostle is believed to have sought shelter.

Also on Sunday, he will visit migrants living at the Hal Far peace lab, a migrant centre founded by a Franciscan friar in 1971 in honour of former pope John XXIII.

The centre currently houses 55 young male migrants from across Africa but is preparing for the arrival of refugees from Ukraine.

During his weekly audience Wednesday at the Vatican, Francis praised Malta for welcoming "so many brothers and sisters seeking refuge".

But non-governmental rescue groups who patrol the Mediterranean repeatedly accuse Malta of ignoring calls for help from migrants in its waters, refusing to let them land, or alerting Libyan authorities to intercept them and bring them to overcrowded, unsanitary detention camps in Libya where they risk torture and abuse.

Maltese authorities argue the country takes a disproportionate share of migrants to Europe given its small size.

Ahead of Francis' visit, German charity organisation Sea-Eye called on him to ask Maltese authorities to allow over 100 people pulled to safety by one of its migrant rescue ships to dock.

"Perhaps an unequivocal appeal by the Pope to the Maltese government can make Malta, as the closest EU state, feel responsible for 106 people seeking protection," said the NGO in a statement Thursday, following two separate rescues in rough weather earlier in the week.

After arriving Saturday morning, Francis will meet Prime Minister Robert Abela, whose Labour Party won a third term in government following general elections last weekend.

The pontiff will then take a catamaran from Valletta's Grand Harbour to the island of Gozo, where he will preside over a prayer meeting at the national shrine of Ta' Pinu.

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.

National Geographic content straight to your inbox—sign up for our popular newsletters here

A guide to Valletta, the Maltese capital with an eye for art and entertainment

In Malta’s harbour-framed capital, a rich and evolving art scene unfolds among honeyed baroque facades, echoing the global influences that have shaped the city over the centuries.

“It’s an extension of God, a celebration of his beauty and perfection,” Father Charles remarks as we stand at the threshold of St John’s Co-Cathedral in central Valletta, necks craned towards the ceiling. Armies of painted angels swirl overhead, elaborate carvings festoon archways lining the nave and painstakingly detailed marble inlay covers the floor. But all this splendour pales in comparison to the gold — thick, gleaming coats of which adorn nearly every surface in dazzling maximalist fashion. “This cathedral was built by the knights, for the knights,” Father Charles continues, a smile spreading across his white-bearded face.  

“And as you can see, the knights were very wealthy.” It’s impossible to speak about St John’s Co-Cathedral   — or about the Maltese capital Valletta at all — without speaking about the Knights of St John. This religious and military order, founded in Jerusalem in the medieval ages, was charged with the defence of the Holy Land under papal charter. With support from Pope Clement VII, the exclusive collective, consisting solely of wealthy men from elite noble families, made Malta its new headquarters in the 16th century. It would go on to rule here for more than 250 years, building countless artistic wonders including the entire fortified city of Valletta — and its crowning glory, this cathedral.

“The knights came from noble families all across Europe and you can see each of their nations represented in different chapels along the nave,” Father Charles says as we begin to walk the glinting interior. As the cathedral’s in-house conservator, he knows each piece of artwork inside out, and has restored many of them himself. As we move, he shares stories of the paintings, their artists and the trials of upkeep (“I needed to reline the frame on this Mattia Preti painting — it took me a year!”).  

In the comparatively austere French chapel he points out the restrained Nazarene-style fleur de lis motif; and in the Aragon, elaborate metallic sculptures. It quickly becomes clear that St John’s Co-Cathedral is not just a church, but a showcase of some of the finest 16th and 17th century European art and architecture, a bit like a living Louvre or Rijksmuseum. “Look at this wood; it doesn’t come from Malta, we don’t have big trees like this,” Father Charles enthuses over a ceiling beam, before adding, “The knights brought in all the best artists of the time — and all the best materials too.”

Stepping back out into the daylight after my ecclesiastical art-history lesson, winged angels and silver-plated liturgical paraphernalia still spiralling through my mind, I find I have a new-found appreciation for Valletta’s baroque downtown. Handsome honeyed facades are lined in ornate stonework, subtle cream townhouses sport painted wooden gallarija (closed balconies) and narrow cobbled streets run downhill towards the expansive Grand Harbour, its waters criss-crossed with yachts and colourful luzzu   fishing boats.

As I wander through the compact grid of streets, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I pass restaurants, gift shops and pods of tourists, as well as locals lucky enough to live among this aesthetic wealth year-round — couples walking fluffy Maltese dogs and collared priests scooting around corners into tiny churches. The old city headquarters of the knights may be extraordinarily pretty, but they’re also brimming with life.

( How to spend a day in Valetta, Malta's baroque, harbourside city .)

It wasn’t always like this, of course. When the knights began to build their capital in 1566, atop a raised peninsula on Malta’s east coast, the land — flanked by that rambling natural harbour — was almost barren. Or so it seemed. Long before the knights arrived, however, the area had been pockmarked with the imprints of much more ancient peoples.  

That’s what I learn at the National Museum of Archaeology, where I head that afternoon, less than a block away from the cathedral. Simple displays in glass cabinets belie the irreplaceable treasures within: artefacts recovered from Malta’s numerous neolithic sites. Scattered across the island, some spots are thought to date to 3600 BCE — older than the Egyptian pyramids or Stonehenge.

Over millennia, travellers from across the Mediterranean came to this sun-soaked island to settle, each civilisation leaving their mark before the next succeeded. As I move from room to room in the museum, I learn about the prehistoric Sicilians who ushered in elaborate megalithic structures between 4000-2500 BCE, and the Phoenicians’ smooth pottery, precious gold amulets and purple dyed fabrics dating to around 700 BCE.

I see rudimentary miniature sculptures and stone necklaces of imported greenstone, and swirling stone carvings removed from the 5,000-year-old Tarxien Temples, whose ruins lie four miles from the museum.

Most remarkable of all is one of the smallest exhibits: a tiny clay figure entitled Sleeping Lady, discovered in the subterranean galleries of the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum — an ancient necropolis less than 15 minutes’ drive from where I stand. Lying on her side, eyes peacefully closed, she looks as if she’s just slipped into her eternal slumber, despite being carved millennia ago. As museum visitors pause in the dimly lit exhibition space to admire her gentle serenity, they can’t help but hush, as if not to wake her.

Timeless appeal

Over my next few days in the city, more of Valletta’s artistic riches slowly reveal themselves. The MUŻA National Museum of Art, in a beautiful baroque building a short walk from the National Museum of Archaeology, bursts with oil paintings, mosaics and polished wooden marquetry tables. In the historic Teatru Manoel, one of the oldest working theatres in Europe, a grand chandelier illuminates rows of gilded boxes.

Casa Rocca Piccola — a 440-year-old noble family home-cum-museum — showcases an extensive collection of visual treasures, including elaborate gold filigree and Maltese lace. There are historic knights-related oddities, too, such as a chess set minus the queens, designed specifically for the male-only order. As I enter a dining space laid with precious cutlery and ceramics, I feel almost like I’m in a residential version of St John’s Co-Cathedral, unsure how to take in the sheer amount of artistic detail in front of me.  

As I continue to explore, I find that the city’s aesthetic charm is not only hidden behind closed doors. One evening, at sunset, I stand in the landscaped Upper Barrakka Gardens overlooking the harbour as toy-sized boats zigzag through the waters far below and nature paints the sky pink and orange with its own masterful palette.

It would be easy to think of Valletta as being a kind of artistic timewarp, an unchanging world of gilded wonder. And yet its artistic evolution is not complete. A new chapter begins later this year with the opening of MICAS — the Malta International Contemporary Art Space   — in vast historic fortifications and ramparts just outside the city walls.

“These works address our sense of space and time, and how these can be distorted,” says British contemporary artist Conrad Shawcross, the museum’s first exhibitor, as he leads me through a small portion of the site already open to visitors. We wander along the bleached stone ramparts towards old military vaults, ducking into the squeezed spaces to see his intricate light installation, Slow Arc Within a Cube. In the darkness, metallic grid sculptures with moving bulb mechanisms throw metamorphosing shapes across the ceiling, walls and floor, appearing to change the dimensions of the space with every passing moment.

“I made this piece 10 years ago and it’s been shown in various locations around the world, but I’m delighted it’s found a permanent resting place here in Malta,” explains Conrad as we watch his light machines cast hypnotic illuminations. One of MICAS’s aims is to balance Malta’s extensive history with exciting artistic innovation — both local and global — and this blend of fort architecture and modern craftwork seems the perfect embodiment. It’s a theme explored further in Conrad’s large-scale installation on the ramparts, Beacons. Blinking against the noon sun after our time in the dim vaults, we gaze up at the series of huge colourful discs, mounted flag-like on poles. Visible from far across the harbour, they look like some kind of naval semaphoric code — and in fact, Conrad tells me, they are. Pointing to each oversized disc in turn, he spells out their succinct meaning: ‘NOW’.

On my final night in the city, I return to St John’s Co-Cathedral. The clusters of visitors have cleared out for the day, leaving the vast interiors eerily quiet. Showing my concert ticket to the guard, I’m ushered into a small oratory, where I take a seat among an intimate audience.

Lights are dimmed, a harp is played and a woman sings sweet baroque medleys by candlelight as we gaze up towards the altar, which is adorned with what is arguably Valletta’s most precious artistic treasure of all. The Beheading of St John the Baptist, an oil painting by 16th-century Italian artistic master Caravaggio, stretches more than five metres wide, a brutal and haunting scene of disimpassioned spectatorship. A prostrate St John, with his throat brutally slit, bleeds on the ground while callous onlookers support a stoney-faced executioner. The only humanity in the painting is embodied by a single, horrified woman.

The longer I stare, baroque music washing across the oratory, the more details emerge from the darkness. Caravaggio’s signature in the pool of blood — this is his only signed work — and the glint of the silver knife. It induces awe not for ornate gilding, like so much in the city, but for intimate drama. We’re a small group of strangers collectively witnessing the stirring tragedy of this painting, 400 years after the artist put brush to canvas.

It’s hard to compute all that Caravaggio’s eternal masterpiece has witnessed in its long history, or what it will see in years to come. But for me, a fleeting visitor to this place, the concert becomes a vivid living postcard of my time in Valletta. A brief but beautiful moment shared by many over the centuries.

Related Topics

• CITY GUIDES
• HISTORIC PRESERVATION
• ART HISTORY
• CULTURAL TOURISM

You May Also Like

How to spend a day in Valletta, Malta's baroque, harbourside city

A guide to Strasbourg, Alsace's culturally unique capital

Introducing nat geo kids book bundle.

Lisbon on a high: daring street art and hilltop lookouts in Portugal's capital

Visit these cultural hot spots in 2024

10 whimsical ways to experience Scotland

10 experiences families shouldn’t miss in San Diego

China just had a museum building spree. Here are 6 of the best.

• Environment
• Paid Content
• Photography

History & Culture

• History & Culture
• History Magazine
• Mind, Body, Wonder
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved