On Saturday 24 January the Maltese OFM Province celebrated the feast of its patron Saint Paul the Apostle, on the occasion of the Conversion of the Apostle. At 9am the friars gathered in the Valletta friary chapel for a meditation given by Msgr. George Frendo OP, Archbishop Emeritus of Tiranë-Durrës in Albania. At 11am the Minister Provincial Fr. Anthony Chircop presided over a concelebrated Mass in the Valletta church, in order to officially inaugurate the 8th centenary celebrations of the Transitus, or death and glory, of St. Francis. During the homily the Provincial spoke about the significance of this Franciscan year and on his experience of the official opening of the centenary on 10 January in the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Assisi. At the end of the Mass the Provincial lit and blessed the votive lamp which was then placed on the altar of St. Francis to welcome the prayers of the faithful during this year of plenary indulgence granted by Pope Leo XIV to all Franciscan churches. The Mass was also concelebrated by Bishop George Bugeja, Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Tripoli, Libya, and by Fr. Georges Massinelli OFM, Visitator General of our Franciscan Province.
