The Church will be providing some 150 carers who work among the elderly temporary accommodation as part of efforts to offer its assistance during the coronavirus pandemic.

In his homily on Saturday evening during Easter Vigil Mass, Archbishop Charles Scicluna announced that the seminary was being transformed into a residence for some 100 carers who worked at the Church’s homes for the elderly.

Fifty other carers would be housed at the Mount St Joseph retreat house.

The Church, he said, would be offering up all places it had available to the community in order to assist society during these difficult times.

In recent weeks, healthcare workers have been forced to seek alternative accommodation to protect their families from the outbreak while they continued to come face to face with the virus while carrying out their duties.

During Mass, Scicluna said Easter Sunday should serve as a beacon of hope to people amid the virus outbreak and called on the faithful to press the reset button.

All Holy Week celebrations involving the public this year were cancelled.