Letters to the editor – July 28, 2026

Wrong expression

Joseph Zammit of Paola writes:

On Sunday, the people of Paola celebrated the feast of their patron, Christ the King. On this occasion, I wish to draw attention to a long-standing Latin error on the façade of the basilica of Christ the King, in Paola. 

The inscription begins with the words a corde, which were evidently intended to mean “from our hearts”. Unfortunately, this is not what the Latin expression actually conveys.

The inscription on the façade of Christ the King basilica. Photo: shutterstock.com

In Latin, the preposition a (or ab) signifies “away from”. Consequently, a corde does not mean “from our hearts” but, rather, “from outside our hearts” or “away from the heart”. This is clearly not the intended devotional meaning. Thus, the people of Paola are, in effect, telling Jesus we do not love him from our hearts but from outside our hearts, a sentiment that contradicts the very spirit of Christian devotion.

The correct Latin expression is ex corde, the form consistently used in both classical and ecclesiastical Latin. All Church documents employ ex corde when expressing sincerity or heartfelt devotion. Students of Latin learn from the very beginning that when “from” means “out of”, the proper preposition is e or ex, not a or ab.

A considerable number of priests have expressed with me their sadness about this obvious mistake, which detracts from the dignity of such a beautiful and important basilica.

Given the importance of linguistic and theological accuracy in inscriptions on our churches, particularly one as prominent as the basilica of Christ the King, I trust that those responsible will consider correcting this significant error.

Puerile assertions

Andrew Borg Cardona of Lija writes:

I refer to Eddy Privitera’s letter of July 25.

Purely for the record, the presiding judge did not direct that I be removed from the court. 

I simply left the hall to clarify with the relevant officials why I was being told not to look at my phone while sitting next to journalists who were busy using their laptops and tablets online.  

Insofar as concerns the rest of Privitera’s puerile assertions, I shall as always treat them with the contempt he so richly deserves.