Caritas marked the 10th anniversary of its Christmas Day lunch for the lonely with one of the largest-ever turnouts at the Archbishop's Curia on Wednesday.

Nearly 600 people attended the event, supported by 100 volunteers, Marica Cassar, PR officer at Caritas said.

The attendees were served traditional hot chocolate or coffee alongside sweet buns on arrival, followed by pumpkin soup, a hearty main course of turkey, roasted potatoes, and vegetables. For dessert, they enjoyed traditional Maltese sweets.

Panettone Pyramid at the Caritas Christmas Lunch Photo: Caritas

The lunch was made possible thanks to the Alfred Mizzi Foundation, which donated all the food; the Kitchen of the President of Malta, which provided traditional sweets for everyone; and the St Peter's Foundation, which supported the logistics.

“We had our rehabilitation therapeutic communities serving those attending as part of their giving back to society,” said Cassar. Residents and accompanying staff from the Prison Inmates Programme and San Blas also helped serve during the lunch.

The president, the prime minister, the leader of the opposition, and the archbishop met some of those present and thanked the volunteers.  

Meanwhile, on the same day, the Soup Kitchen OFM in Valletta served around 150 meals, thanks to the dedication of 15 volunteers.

Volunteers at OFM Photo: James Cummings

Guests enjoyed festive meals of lasagna, turkey, potatoes, vegetables, and dessert. Additionally, gift bags filled with panettone, oranges, milk, bread, and other items were distributed for visitors to take home.

“It not only helped me to find a job, but also personally; I used to volunteer in the kitchen, and it brought me a lot of love,” said an Indian national who found work in marketing after seeking help at the kitchen.

A young Texan, who became homeless after his marriage to a Maltese woman ended, described the Soup Kitchen as a “place of stability.” “It’s not just a place to get food on a daily basis; it’s also about being around people - it’s fundamental,” he said.

A Colombian national credited the kitchen with helping her secure work as a live-in housekeeper. “It’s not just about physical suffering; there’s mental suffering too,” she said.

Franciscan friar Marcellino Micallef, founder of the litvchen, said the facility served about 30,000 meals in 2024—3,000 more than the previous year—and helped 200 people find employment. “My dream is for everyone to have a roof over their head,” Fr Micallef said, thanking all donors.

The Soup Kitchen OFM has a volunteer team of some 63 nationalities. Greek volunteer Enrico Marantidis, who has lived in Malta for 10 years, said, “I found myself alone this Christmas and wanted to make myself useful. It’s quite a contrast to the abundance around us, and I wanted to share that.”

Josianne Bezzina, volunteering for the second year, said, “When you come here, you touch a reality most people don’t understand. People are so blessed.”

Both events ended with the distribution of panettone, a sweet symbol of generosity and community that left participants with full stomachs and fuller hearts.

You can donate to the Soup Kitchen of Valletta by finding the necessary details here.