While all other educational institutions were closed on Sunday, St Monica School in Birkirkara flung its gates wide open to let the public join in on a day of festivities.

The celebration, titled Jubilee Spinelli Fest 2019, marked the 125th anniversary since the Augustinian Sisters, Servants of Jesus and Mary, set foot on Malta and founded their first school in Qormi in 1894.

“We invited everyone possibly related to the school, including former and present students and ex-staff members and current ones,” said Sr Veronica Gerada, head of St Monica School in Gżira.

“We wanted to unite our congregation under one roof for this joyous occasion.”

The turnout was overwhelming. Hundreds packed the school’s hall for Mass celebrated by Archbishop Charles Scicluna together with other priests and animated by students.

Visitors could then enjoy the various activities held in the playground and peep into various tents covering aspects of the congregation.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna met his first teacher Sr Reginalda Abdilla during Jubilee Spinelli Fest 2019 on Sunday. Photos: Curia – church.mt/photos

There was an exhibition on the history of the Sisters in Malta, prayer spaces and a display of works made by the nuns such as lace and woollen items. Handcrafted cards were sold with proceeds going towards the congregation’s missions in the Philippines, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo and India. The nuns’ baking skills were also put to the test as visitors could sample a variety of home-made sweets.

A puppet show and other forms of drama were put on by the students.

Among other activities, children could also try their hand at biscuit decorating and play percussion instruments.

“Music is a very important aspect of who we are,” Sr Veronica noted, adding that one of the highlights of the day was a gig by ethnic band Tribali.

“Their performance went down very well with visitors.”

Children animating Mass.

Members of the Ċentru 16+, a youth centre in Gżira made up of former St Monica students, held a number of games, while sharing information about their group.

Also represented at the festival were the Kummissjoni Djoċesana Sport (KDS) and Kummissjoni Djoċesana Tfal (KDT), which is coordinated by the Sisters.

Titled Jubilee Spinelli Fest 2019, the event was named after the school foundress, Maria Teresa Spinelli (1789-1850), who opened one of the first public schools that accepted girls in Frosinone, Italy, in 1821.

After a few years, in 1827, with the approval of the local bishop, Spinelli formed a religious congregation, with the school’s teachers as its first members. Four years later, the Augustinian Sisters, Servants of Jesus and Mary were formally incorporated into the Order of St Augustine.

The Sisters run three Church schools for girls in Malta: in Mosta, Gżira and Birkirkara.

The Gżira school opened in Ponsonby Street in 1937 but moved to larger premises in Madre Teresa Spinelli Street years later. It was officially inaugurated in December 2000. The same happened in Birkirkara, with the first school opening in Mannarino Road in 1951 to then relocate to a larger building in  1st of May Street in 1962. It was refurbished in 2013. The Mosta school, in Ponsonby Street, opened in 1954.

The Maltese Augustinian sisters are also established in Australia, the US, England, Brazil, Zaire, India and the Philippines.

The day’s festival included various forms of drama%2C singing and dancing.