Pope Francis will visit the island of Malta in early April!
The Sovereign Pontiff will visit the island of Malta during an apostolic trip scheduled for April 2 and 3, the Press Office of the Holy See made official this Thursday, February 10, the patronal feast day of Saint Paul shipwrecked on the 'Isle.
The Press Room of the Holy See made public this Thursday, February 10 an upcoming apostolic journey of Pope Francis. The Holy Father will visit the Maltese archipelago on April 2 and 3. He will visit the cities of La Valette, Rabat, Floriana, as well as the island of Gozo, in the northwest of the archipelago. The detailed program of this first trip announced for the year 2022 will be communicated later.
This Thursday, February 10 is a national and religious holiday in the Mediterranean archipelago. This opportunely chosen date commemorates the day of the shipwreck of Saint Paul on the shores of the island on his return from the Holy Land, around 60 AD according to the Acts of the Apostles. The anniversary thus symbolizes the beginning of the Christianization of Malta.
The Sovereign Pontiff thus responds favorably to the invitation of the authorities and the local Catholic Church, but also of the President of the Maltese Republic, George Vella, whom he had received in audience at the Vatican in September 2019. A first announcement of this trip had been made two years ago precisely, for May 31, 2020, but the trip had finally been canceled due to the pandemic.Benedict XVI's journey in 2010
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI also visited this Mediterranean island during his pontificate. On April 17 and 18, 2010, he celebrated the 1,950th anniversary of the three-month shipwreck of Saint Paul on the island, in 60 AD, during his last voyage to Rome.
In Malta, the smallest state in the European Union where more than 93% of the population is Catholic, Benedict XVI had defended the sanctity of life and pleaded for a better reception of immigrants.
The shipwreck of Saint Paul
“From this shipwreck was born, for Malta, the chance to have faith, explained Pope Benedict XVI to journalists during the flight, Saturday April 17, 2010 . So we too can think that the shipwrecks of life can also be a project of God for us and can also be useful to start our life over on new foundations”.
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