Pope Francis presided over Holy Mass at the Granaries, Floriana, which was followed by the recitation of the Angelus Prayer. Approximately 12,000 worshippers were in attendance to see the Holy Father.

In his words of thanks at the end of the Holy Mass to His Holiness Pope Francis, Archbishop Charles Scicluna said, “we thank you sincerely for your decision to visit us. Thank you for celebrating the Holy Eucharist with us. Thank you for your love for us.

“May the word you have shared with us be a source of courage in life, light to our path, comfort in our trials. In the first century after Christ’s Resurrection, these islands had the good fortune of receiving the light of the Gospel through God’s grace, thanks to the presence among us of our father in faith, St Paul the Apostle, whom Publius, the protos of the island, and the Maltese, welcomed “with unusual kindness” (Acts 28:2), together with two hundred and seventy-five other persons who found themselves shipwrecked on our shores,” said the Archbishop.

“May your visit among us and your blessing upon us instill in the heart of each and every one of us that warmth of charity and that unusual kindness that are among the best fruits of the Holy Spirit.

“May the sweet glance of Our Lady of Damascus pierce our hearts and protect your universal mission. Allow us to greet you with the profound words of St George Preca, glory of our priests and our catechists:

Salve Papa noster (Peace be with you Holy Father)

Salve Petra Fidei (Peace be with you Rock of Faith)

Salve Coeli Janitor (Peace be with you Heaven’s Doorkeeper)

Et Dominus sit tecum (And may the Lord be with you!)

Thank you, Your Holiness.”Archbishop Scicluna then presented a gift to Pope Francis on behalf of the Church in Malta – Misericordia et Misera – and depicts the story of the adulterous woman. This story from the Gospel of St John is being read today, the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

The painting is by artist John Martin Borg who has been studying this subject of the adulterous woman since 1999. In his studies, the artist always presented the woman stripped of her dignity. In the artist’s words, the painting emphasises that many are those who judge and accuse, but there are also those capable of identifying God’s divine spark in humanity.

John Martin Borg said that, “the interpretation of the law at the time was merciless. The scribes and Pharisees, together with the crowd, were about to stone and kill the adulterous woman, and they are depicted as looking upon her with stones in their hands, ready to implement the law, that instead of bringing about justice, eliminates life. The scribes and the Pharisees consider themselves morally correct and their behaviour justified because they were following the law, although, in reality, they are actually using the same law to trap Jesus.”

Christ is portrayed dressed in white for He is pure in heart and spirit. Draped over His shoulder is a red cloak which represents His divine nature. With mercy and comfort, Christ extends his arms towards the adulterous woman and offers her His own red cloak to cover her body – a simple, symbolic act that restores the woman’s lost dignity. With this gesture, Jesus invites her to partake in His divine nature.

Pope Francis delivered the Angelus Prayer:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“I am grateful for Archbishop Scicluna’s kind words on your behalf, but I am really the one who should be thanking you! Thank you very much!

I would like to express my gratitude to the President of the Republic and the civil authorities, to my brother Bishops, to you, dear priests, men and women religious, and to all the citizens and faithful of Malta and Gozo for your warm and affectionate welcome. This evening, I will meet some of our migrant brothers and sisters, and then it will be time to return to Rome. I will bring back many memories of the events and conversations of these days. Above all, I will remember many of your faces, as well as the luminous face of Malta! I thank all those who worked so hard to prepare for this visit, and I cordially greet our brothers and sisters of the different Christian denominations and religions whom I have met in these days. I ask all of you to pray for me, as I will for you. Let us pray for one another.

These islands breathe a sense of the People of God. May you continue to do so, mindful that faith grows in joy and is strengthened in giving. Forge further links in the chain of holiness that has led so many Maltese to devote their lives with enthusiasm to God and to others. I think, for example, of Dun Gorg Preca, canonised fifteen years ago. Finally, I would like to say a word to the young, who are your future. Dear friends, I want to share with you the most beautiful thing in life. Do you know what it is? It is the joy of giving ourselves completely in love, which makes us free. That joy has a name: it is Jesus. I wish you the beauty of falling in love with Jesus, the God of mercy, who believes in you, dreams with you, loves your lives and will never disappoint you.

May the Lord accompany you, and Our Lady keep you. Let us now pray to her for peace, as we think of the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in war-torn Ukraine, which continues to be bombarded. May we be tireless in praying and in offering assistance to those who suffer. Peace be with you!”

Photos: popefrancis.mt

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