President visits Greek church

President Guido de Marco yesterday visited the Greek Catholic church of Our Lady of Damascus in Valletta where he was welcomed by Papas Vito Borgia and Papas George Mifsud.

The President was taken on a tour of the church but paid special attention to the icon of Our Lady of Damascus which had been taken to Rhodes during the invasion of Syria.

Papas Mifsud is the first Maltese priest within the Greek Catholic Church since the early 1800s when the last one died and there were no local Greek Catholic priests to take over. Since then, priests were brought over from the Albanian Community in Sicily.

Like the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Catholic Church recognises the authority of the Pope. But while a Roman Catholic priest has to be celibate, a Greek Catholic priest can enter into priesthood even if he is married. One cannot marry after joining the priesthood, however.

Although there are few Greeks in Malta, the church caters to many faithful from different countries, including Bulgarians, Russians and Ukranians.

The church is sometimes also used for Orthodox celebrations. President de Marco's visit yesterday was in fact followed by an Orthodox baptism and confirmation ceremony of two Russian orphans - 15-year-old Genadi Marasanov and nine-year-old Maxim Marasanov, in Malta for the Christmas holidays.

The ceremony was conducted by Fr Hiezomonk Nikon, a Russian Orthodox priest who is accompanying the children in the presence of Mr and Mrs Charles Dalli of Birkirkara, who are hosting the children.

The ceremony was carried out in the old Slavonic language, which is the liturgical language of the Orthodox Church.