A bronze bas relief by sculptor Noel Galea Bason depicting Mgr Giuseppe De Piro, founder of the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSSP), was recently inaugurated by Archbishop Charles Scicluna at the chapel dedicated to St Simon the Zealot in the precincts of Castel Qannotta in Wardija.

Mgr Scicluna, together with Fr Bernard Mangion MSSP, who serves the community of this chapel, inaugurated the bas relief following a televised Sunday Mass celebration at the chapel, which was attended by Joseph Sant Cassia, his family and other relatives of Mgr De Piro, as well as numerous neighbours and members of the Wardija community.

During the event, Sant Cassia highlighted the family ties of the Sant Cassia and De Piro families with Mgr De Piro, and his family’s continuing link with his great-uncle through their continued support for the MSSP’s missions, whose work has grown considerably over the years.

The Wardija community, which gathers to worship at the chapel, financially supports the MSSP educational mission in Lahore, Pakistan.

The chapel, which dates back to the late 15th century, is characterised by a rare neo-Gothic style façade that was added when the chapel was enlarged in the 1860s.