Fondazzjoni Paulus presents the Rabat Agape Festival

Fondazzjoni Paulus is presenting the 10th edition of its annual Rabat Agape Festival, an arts and culture celebration. This festival celebrates the feasts of the Conversion and Shipwreck of St Paul and promotes the artistic heritage of the Maltese islands. The highlight of this year’s festival is the annual concert of sacred music featuring the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Christopher Muscat and the New Choral Singers choir led by Mauro Farrugia.

After two years of pandemic restrictions, this concert is set to welcome back its first live audience since 2020. This year’s concert, at St Paul’s Basilica in Rabat, is being held on Friday, 3 February at 7.30pm. The repertoire of this concert includes an orchestral suite from Il Divin Poema by Carmelo Pace, Joseph Vella’s Music for a White Dove, Paul Portelli’s L-X ta’ Frar 1926, Joseph Abela Scolaro’s Innu Ċentinarju Pawlin 1960 written for the Pauline centenary celebrations of that same year and his Cantata San Pawl. The concert will also include a monologue about St Paul interpreted by actor Mario Micallef and a number of audio-visual features.

This concert is being held under the patronage of His Excellency Mgr Savio Hon Tai-Fai SDB, Apostolic Nuncio to Malta and is organised with the cooperation of the archpriest and

Collegiate Chapter of St Paul’s Basilica in Rabat. Admission to this concert is free of charge.

As part of this festival, Fondazzjoni Paulus is organising a lecture in honour of Mgr John Azzopardi on Saturday, 4 February at 6.30pm. This lecture by Mario Gauci will be held at the Wignacourt Museum in Rabat.

The late Mgr Azzopardi served as curator of the Mdina Cathedral Museum and the Wignacourt Museum. He is well known for his contribution to Malta’s history, especially in the artistic field, with his work serving as reference for academics in various parts of the world.

At the end of this lecture, there will be the inauguration of this year’s artistic exhibition by Mario Sant and a speech by Dr Gerald Bugeja about the artistic merits of his works.

The public is invited to visit this exhibition at the Wignacourt Museum until Friday, 24 February. Entrance to this exhibition is free.

On Sunday, 5 February at 10am, Fondazzjoni Paulus together with Heritage Malta is organising a guided tour starting from the archaeological site of San Pawl Milqi. Afterwards, this tour will head to the church of San Pawl tal-Ħġejjeġ in St Paul’s Bay and St Paul’s Grotto in Rabat. More information about this tour can be obtained from the Facebook page of Fondazzjoni

Paulus or by sending an email to info@fondazzjonipaulus.org.

The History of Rabat through Photography is the title of a lecture by Daniel Cilia organised by Fondazzjoni Paulus and the Rabat Local Council. This lecture will be held at the Wignacourt Museum in Rabat on Saturday, 11 February at 6.30pm. At the end of this lecture, the public can buy copies of the recently published book, Rabat Sacrum.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, 12 February

at 2pm, Fondazzjoni Paulus, together with BirdLife Malta, is organising a guided walk around various places of interest in the countryside. This walk starts from St Paul’s parish square in Rabat. More information about this activity can be obtained from BirdLife Malta while those interested need to book by sending an email to activities@birdlifemalta.org.

Fondazzjoni Paulus thanks the Majjistral Action Group Foundation, Visit Malta, Ministry for Inclusion,

Voluntary Organisations and Consumer Rights, Abertax, Bank of Valletta, Wignacourt Museum, Rabat Local Council, the Abela Scolaro family, Plaza Shopping Centre and the Janatha Stubbs Foundation for their generous support.

The public is encouraged to follow the Fondazzjoni Paulus Facebook page and website www.fondazzjonipaulus.org for more information about these events