Malta’s ‘luminous land’ awaits the arrival of Pope Francis
There are only a few hours left before the start of Pope Francis’ 36 Apostolic Journey, a two-day journey that takes place on Saturday and Sunday. Welcome and faith are the themes of this visit “in the footsteps of St. Paul,” while at the same time the journey must be marked by the war in Ukraine.
By Michele Raviart
The southernmost country in Europe is preparing to welcome a pope for the third time in its history. in its history. After St. John Paul II, who came to the Republic of Malta in 1990 and 2001; and Benedict XVI, who made the trip in 2010, Pope Francis will now visit the archipelago on Saturday and Sunday. It is a journey that the Pope has been looking forward to. Previously planned for May 2020, the trip was postponed due to the pandemic; now, it will inevitably be marked by the war in Ukraine and the relentless flow of refugees fleeing the bombings.
At the source of the gospel proclamation
Today more than ever, Malta – a “luminous land,” as Pope Francis described it at last Wednesday’s General Audience – is committed to “welcoming so many brothers and sisters who are seeking refuge”. The theme of hospitality is also symbolized by the logo of the voyage, which shows outstretched hands to others coming out of the boat on which I sailed on the island of St. Paul more than two thousand years ago, on his way to Rome. “An opportunity to go to the sources of the proclamation of the Gospel,” and for the Pope, “to know from the first Christian community with a living history dating back thousands of years.” The community has 408,000 baptized members, 85% of the total population of 478,000 in the island chain of Malta, Gozo and other smaller islands.
The program for Saturday, April 2
Pope Francis will land at Malta International Airport on Saturday morning at around 10am and, after the welcoming ceremony, will head to the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta. In what was once the seat of the Grand Masters of the Knights of St. John, they built the building in 1571. There, Pope Francis will meet with the President of the Republic of Malta, George William Vella, and then with the Prime Minister, Robert Abela, who has just been re-elected to lead the government of the country. The speech in the Great Council Hall to the Maltese authorities and the diplomatic corps will close the first part of the day which, after a break in the Apostolic Nunciature, will continue with a visit to the Marian shrine of Ta ‘Pinu. on the “nun”. island ”of Gozo. In the main square in front of the sanctuary, the most important place of pilgrimage in Malta, the Pope will preside over a prayer meeting with the faithful, together with the Maltese Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, to be in the Pope. continued, together with Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, and Bishop Anton Teuma of Gozo.
Sunday visit to St. Paul’s Grotto and Mass in Floriana
On Sunday morning, April 3, Francis will meet privately with the members of the Society of Jesus and then, at around 8.30am, he will go to St. Paul’s Cave in Victoria. According to tradition, the Apostle of the Gentiles fell after the shipwreck in the year 60 AD – a decisive event for the Christianization of the island. The Cave had already been visited by St. John Paul II in 1990 and later by Benedict XVI in 2010, on the occasion of the 1950 anniversary of the event. After lighting a votive lamp, Francis says prayers to St. Paul and greets the 14 religious leaders who will be present, as well as a number of sick people assisted by the local organization Caritas. One of Malta’s largest open spaces, the Piazzale dei Granai in Floriana – the city that extends beyond the walls of Valletta – will later host the Mass celebrated by the Pope at 10.15, followed by the recitation of the Angelus.
Welcome to the Peace Laboratory
“They showed us an unusually good heart” is the motto of this 36th apostolic journey of Francis, which will end at 6:15 pm with a visit to the John XXIII Peace Lab In Ħal Far, which hosts people from Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan who embarked in Libya to cross the Mediterranean. It is a place of great educational work in the field of human rights, justice, solidarity, and medical care. About 200 immigrants will meet the Pope at the structure’s open-air theater. The farewell ceremony at the airport is scheduled to take place at 6:15 pm, with the return to Rome expected at 7:40 pm.