As part of the activities marking the feast of St Anthony of Padua, on Tuesday Fr Guardian of the Conventual Minors, Marcello Ghirlando, celebrated Mass for children at the Franciscan church in Għajnsielem.

Singers Loredana and Albert-Lauren Agius animated the Mass. Children and their parents were given a memento on the occasion.

The feast of St Anthony will be celebrated on Sunday.

Fr Provincial Anthony Chircop will lead a concelebrated Mass at 8.30am, while Gozo Bishop Anton Teuma will celebrate Pontifical Mass at 6.30pm.

After Mass, Mgr Teuma will inaugurate the newly-refurbished St Anthony Centre.

Anthony of Padua, or Anthony of Lisbon, was a Portuguese friar of the Franciscan Order.

He was born and raised by a wealthy family in Lisbon and died in Padua, Italy.

Noted by his contemporaries for his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick, he was one of the most quickly canonised saints in Church history.

He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on January 16, 1946. He is also the patron saint of lost things.