National feast of Malta

Statue of Saint Paul, sculpted out of wood by Melchiore Gafa

February 10 has always and will always be a special day for me and for all Maltese Catholics - the day we celebrate the shipwreck of Saint Paul on the island of Malta, as it is recorded in chapter 28 of the Acts of the Apostles: “Once we had reached safety we learned that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us extraordinary hospitality; they lit a fire and welcomed all of us because it had begun to rain and was cold. Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire when a viper, escaping from the heat, fastened on his hand. When the natives saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man must certainly be a murderer; though he escaped the sea, Justice has not let him remain alive.” But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm.........the rest of the sick on the island came to Paul and were cured. They paid us great honor and when we eventually set sail they brought us the provisions we needed.” This is the best tribute Malta could have ever received, seeing its name in the Bible, and the Maltese being described as hospitable, kind and generous. They probably provided Paul and the 276 sailors with him an entire ship to continue their journey to Sicily and Rome, as the ship they were on was destroyed in the shipwreck.

The feast is commemorated with a solemn procession in the streets of the capital city of Valletta, where the church of the Shipwreck of Saint Paul is situated. The beloved statue of Saint Paul was carved out of wood by Melchiore Gafa and is carried in procession on his feastday. Since this is Carnival weekend, this year the procession was held on January 27.