Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck (Malta)
The Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck is a significant annual event celebrated on February 10 in Malta, commemorating the shipwreck of St. Paul, one of Jesus' apostles, on the island's shores in A.D. 60. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is predominantly Roman Catholic, and this feast honors a pivotal moment in the island's Christian heritage. According to the New Testament, St. Paul, initially a persecutor of Christians, underwent a dramatic conversion and became a missionary, spreading Christianity across the Mediterranean. His shipwreck on Malta led to his warm reception by the local inhabitants, during which he performed miracles, including healing the sick. This event not only marked the beginning of Christianity's establishment in Malta but also led to the conversion of many locals, including Publius, who is recognized as the first Bishop of Malta. The feast serves as a public holiday, reflecting the island's deep religious roots and the importance of St. Paul's legacy in Maltese culture. Celebrations often include religious services, processions, and community gatherings, highlighting both faith and local traditions.
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Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck (Malta)
Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck (Malta)
Every February 10 the tiny Mediterranean island nation of Malta honors the shipwreck of St. Paul, one of Jesus' apostles, on its shores. Malta is located in the center of the Mediterranean Sea not far from Sicily. The country is officially known as the Republic of Malta, a parliamentary democracy whose capital city is Valletta. Almost all of the country's 380,000 people are Roman Catholic.
St. Paul, originally named Saul, had been a prominent Jewish persecutor of the Christians in Jerusalem, until his dramatic conversion to Christianity while traveling to Damascus, after which he was known as Paul. Paul became a missionary, embarking on a series of voyages about the Mediterranean to spread the new faith. A shipwreck landed him on the shores of Malta on February 10, a.d. 60. Paul and his companions were welcomed by the natives, and several miracles and other remarkable accomplishments are attributed to him during his stay. The event is recorded in the New Testament:
After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us around it. Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another “this man must be a murderer; though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.” He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They were expecting him to swell up or drop dead, but after they had waited a long time and saw that nothing unusual had happened to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.
Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It so happened that the father of Publius lay sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and cured him by praying and putting his hands on him. After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. They bestowed many honors on us, and when we were about to sail, they put on board all the provisions we needed.
Acts 28:1–10
During his stay in Malta, which lasted about three months, Paul also converted Publius and many other Maltese to Christianity. Publius became the first Bishop of Malta, and by the third century a.d. most of the population of Malta was Christian. Today the date of Paul's shipwreck is celebrated as a public holiday.