Ash Wednesday at St Lawrence Collegiate Church – Birgu
In line with tradition the Archpriest and Collegiate Chapter of the St Lawrence Church in Birgu invited the Order to participate in the Ash Wednesday service.
Members of the Maltese Association gathered in the Santa Scolastica Monastery at 6.00 p.m. for the translation of the revered Reliquary of the Holy Face of Christ in procession, along with the Collegiate Chapter Members, from the Chapel to the Church.
The service in the Church commenced with the blessing of the ashes and anointing members of the congregation with ashes. Readings were by Association members Martin Micallef and Dennis Kirkop.
At the end of the service the congregation was invited to venerate the Reliquary before it was placed above the altar in the Chapel of the Holy Crucifix on the right hand side of the church and where it will rest for the duration of the Lenten period.
Monsignor Paul Vella, the Association’s Ecclesiastical Master of Ceremonies also attended the church function. The Reliquary contains relics of Our Lord’s passion and is only exposed on special occasions. It had been donated to the Church of St. Lawrence by the then Inquisitor Monsignor Paolo Passioneri in 1753.
