February 10 is for our islands a special “national” holiday, since it celebrates the determining event of the bringing of Christian faith to Malta and Gozo by the Apostle Paul in 60AD, thanks to a providential shipwreck which, as Luke relates in Acts 27-28, brought the Roman vessel to our shore.This year the annual religious festival is even more special, being the 1950th anniversary of the Apostle’s three-month stay, which is the reason why Pope Benedict XVI is visiting our sister island in April.
Actually, a vigil led by bishop Mgr Mario Grech this evening, at the Munxar main square, opens the diocesan preparation for the Pope’s visit.Although the Vatican has decided not to include Gozo in the programme, the presence of the Gozitan community, both on the Floriana Granaries for the Papal Mass and at the Valletta Waterfront for the Meeting with the Youth, will be certainly made felt!Pope John Paul II had visited Malta twice during his pontificate: in 1991 (when he also crossed over to Gozo), and in 2001 for the beatification of three Maltese.A third visit by Peter’s successor to Paul’s island is hoped to be an occasion for strengthening in faith a country which is sadly and slowly losing its Christian values.
Away from the debate on a single national holiday, St Paul’s Day on February 10 is a very particular religious feast.Each and every Maltese cannot but feel proud when hearing Malta’s name being pronounced in the reading from Acts, narrating with precision how the Shipwreck took place.Paul and the other prisoners were heading to Rome, but a strong North East storm directed the ship to Malta.A divine hand willed that Malta be evangelised by, indeed, the boldest of preachers among the Apostles.Thirteen letters are attributed to Paul, all of which are listed in the Christian canon of the New Testament.Last year, the whole Catholic world celebrated his two thousandth birth anniversary.
The Acts also tell us about the generosity of the Maltese who, leaving behind their initial hesitation, welcomed the saint and his entourage, including Luke the evangelist, with an open heart.Even St John Chrysostom in his commentary passes a comment on this quality of the inhabitants of Melita.According to tradition, Publius, the Roman governor of the island, who had his father cured by Paul, was ordained the first spiritual leader of its new Christian community.
On this day, the altar dedicated to St Paul at St George’s basilica, which hosts the lovely 1699 painting by Stefano Erardi, depicting the shipwrecked saint venerating the Immaculate Virgin, is decorated for the festive occasion.The basilica is home to several other works of art which underline the Pauline motif.Two of G.B. Conti’s colourful apses include the figure of the saint, while Palombi’s canvas in the chancel behind the main altar shows the Apostle standing in sumptuous grandeur and style.Furthermore, the evangelisation of the Maltese islands by Paul is one of the main themes on the bronze portals.However, the event of the Shipwreck is only addressed directly in a large picture (1999) by Mario Caffaro Rore, which is found at the parish house annexed to the basilica.Francesco Pio Attard has published a good series on Pauline art at St George’s – Fuq il-passi ta’ San Pawl fil-bażilika tagħna: Dawra ma’ l-arti Pawlina f’San Ġorġ – on the six editions of Il-Belt Victoria for 2009.
So, it’s a day when all Maltese can wish one another “Il-festa t-tajba!”.More than just that, it’s a day which invites us to embark on a “révision de vie” of where we stand in commiting ourselves for our Christian faith, as a people that has been generated in faith by the Doctor Gentium…
