The children’s choir of the Romanian Orthodox parish in Malta on Monday, December 21, visited San Anton Palace, Attard, and sang carols in Romanian to President George Vella and Mrs Vella to announce the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This was followed by the presentation to the President of an icon - a traditional Christian Orthodox work of art.

The Romanian Orthodox community in Malta is based at the Parish of the Birth of St John the Baptist at St Roque's church, in St Ursula Street, Valletta. In his address during the event, Fr George-Alexandru Popescu, who is responsible for the parish, said there are around 2,200 Romanians and around 500 Moldavians in Malta.

Fr George-Alexandru Popescu delivering his address.

“It is a blessing to be the priest of the Romanian Orthodox Church here. We are working side to side in the spiritual plan along our Orthodox brothers from Greece, Serbia, Russia, Bulgaria and Macedonia. In St Rocco’s church, with the blessing of the Archbishop of Malta, Charles Scicluna, we can serve the Holy Liturgy weekly, and the church can be a ray of light for all the Romanian, Moldavian and other Orthodox Christians on the island,” said Fr Popescu.

The President and Mrs Vella.

He drew a parallel between the welcoming of the Romanian and Moldavian community in Malta and the welcome given to St Paul in Malta 2,000 years ago, as recorded in Acts, chapter 28:

“We want to thank you, that here in Malta, which is our adoptive country, we have received a warm welcome, and we can always see that the words of the Holy Apostle Paul, the protector of your country, spoken in Apostolic times, still apply now: ‘Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.'

Fr Popescu explained that he wanted the children to be dressed in traditional Romanian costumes and sing carols in Romanian to demonstrate with the greatest authenticity that the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ has no language or cultural barriers because we share the same Christian faith.

“Just as your ancestors built a fire and sheltered St Paul from rain and cold, so do we, Romanians and Moldavians, feel that your country has given us shelter from rain and cold. May our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was born in a cold stable, always fill your souls with His eternal fire, full of love, hope and faith,” he said.

“Have a blessed Christmas and hopefully we will have a New Year, filled with faith and hope in the Lord.”

Fr George-Alexandru Popescu and his wife with the President.

The children's choir with the President and Mrs Vella.

Members of the children's choir in traditional costumes.

The President receiving the gift icon - a traditional Christian Orthodox work of art.

Mrs Vella giving the children's choir a farewell gift at the end of the event.

Watch a short video of the event.