New painting for feast of St Paul

An oil painting on canvas by Antoine Farrugia, 29, showing St Paul and the Holy Trinity, will be exhibited for the first time during the feast of St Paul in Valletta on Monday.

Measuring 3.5 metres by 7.5 metres, the painting was commissioned by Jonathan Grima, a member of Ghaqda tal-Pawlini, the volunteers who organise the external celebrations of the feast of their patron saint.

According to the Acts of the Apostles, St Paul was shipwrecked in heavy seas on his way to Rome in 60 AD. The apostle is acknowledged as having introduced Christianity to the Maltese.

Weather permitting, the painting will hang across St Paul Street close to the church of St Paul Shipwreck. In case of bad weather, it will be exhibited in the sacristy.

Mr Farrugia said that about 150 years ago a painter by the name of Antonio Farrugia had done three similar paintings that formed part of the street decorations.

One of those paintings was lost, another was destroyed in a fire and the remaining one is exhibited in the sacristy during feast day.