February 10th: Malta Makes Merry over a Shipwreck!
February is festival month.
Located between Sicily and Tunisia, The Republic of Malta is a series of islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Until today, I knew nothing about it — unless you count the Humphrey Bogart classic The Maltese Falcon (which I found out was filmed in California — in San Francisco and Burbank). So. Nothing. Nada.
Except, well, Maltese is what they call themselves, and it is the language they speak. Plus, I discovered that Malta is a popular filming location — it’s in movies such as Jurassic World: Dominion, Murder on the Orient Express, and World War Z, as well as the TV series Game of Thrones and The Madame Blanc Mysteries, to name a few.
What’s gotten my attention today, February 10th, is that Malta is celebrating its big public holiday, the annual Feast of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck.
The Apostle Paul — considered to be a sort of spiritual founder of the country because his ship crashed there in the first century — is celebrated from sun-up to sundown. And this feast day kicks off a Carnival atmosphere for most of the month, with Valentine’s Day in its wake, and Mardi Gras just around the corner.
Paul’s shipwreck story.
Paul, known for penning plenty of letters advising early Jesus-followers — words of wisdom which comprise much of the Bible’s New Testament — was on his way to Rome when his vessel was blown off-course by a great storm. While praying, Paul had a vision: There was going to be a shipwreck, but everyone on board would survive. It all came true when their boat was smashed to smithereens upon the coast of one of the islands of Malta — and they all swam ashore to safety.
They were welcomed by the islanders, and while gathered around a fire, Paul was unharmed when bitten by a viper. When he was later invited to the estate of Publius, the island’s chief official, Paul placed his hands on Publius’ father, who was ill with a fever and dysentery, and healed him. Once people heard about this miracle, they brought many other sick folks to him, and they were also healed.
As the biblical account goes, the men were invited to stay in Malta for three months, until they continued their journey “on an Alexandrian ship.” See Acts 27–28 for the whole story.
How the locals celebrate.
Most notably in the capital city of Valletta, the early morning of San Pawl Nawfragu begins with a mass at the Catholic Church of St. Paul’s Shipwreck, first built in the 16th century. Services are again offered throughout the day until the benediction at night — while outside bands play, and revelers party till after sundown.
Starting in the late afternoon, a vast crowd gathers when a wooden statue of Paul is paraded through the decorated streets, accompanied by fireworks and confetti.
So today across Malta, families and friends are gathering for good food and fun. With influences from centuries of colonizers — including Phoenicians, Greeks, Arabs, and Brits — they might enjoy rabbit stew, a variety of seafoods, pasta dishes, or fried cheese (ġbejniet, a sheep’s cheese, is a popular choice). And perhaps a prinjolata (a dome-shaped sponge cake) for dessert.
Now you know why the Apostle Paul is the patron saint of Malta. . .and of snakebite victims. Because he happened to crash-land onto Malta’s shores nearly 2000 years ago, his three-month stay changed that island nation forever.
©2023 Janis Hunt Johnson and CS Renewal Ministries. All rights reserved.
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I have been a professional writer and editor since 1983. I’m the author of two books — Five Smooth Stones: Our Power to Heal Without Medicine Through the Science of Prayer, which won Finalist, Spirituality category, in the 2010 National Indie Excellence Awards, and my upcoming second book, tentatively titled Seven Words to Freedom, Eight Days a Week: The Healing Power of Living Prayer, in which I take a deep dive into the original Hebrew of the Shema and demonstrate its power to heal. I am also Contributing Editor at Flourish Digital Magazine.
For my writings on interfaith spirituality and healing, see my ongoing Medium series, “Christian Science Redux.” For humor and newstalgia,* see my Medium series, “60-Something.” Connect with me on Goodreads, Pinterest, Twitter, and across cyberspace. #EveryDayIsAHoliday
* newstalgia: My word for loving the past with an eye toward a hope-filled future.
