The Loving Cup of England makes flying visit to Malta

The Loving Cup of England, created in 2006, has found its way to Malta in time for the anniversary of the award of the George Cross Medal yesterday - the two being connected to St George.

Malta is the Loving Cup's first destination outside England and was chosen for its ties with the saint. Other countries that share St George as their patron have also expressed the interest in a visit.

Commissioned by the Enjoy England Celebrates St George's Day, an organisation that encourages England to mark the feast of its patron saint, the Loving Cup was created by a goldsmith and was yesterday proudly positioned on a table at the Hotel Phoenicia's executive lounge.

The chairman and national organiser of the celebrations in the UK, Bruno Peek, explained that the Loving Cup ceremony was an old tradition in England, aimed at bringing people together. Its history goes back centuries, he said.

Since it was commissioned, the Loving Cup has travelled to 50 cities in England, where the local communities were invited to drink from it as a sign of peace, friendship and harmony among them.

The idea of bringing the cup to Malta was Michael Refalo's, Malta's High Commissioner in London, who was invited to the banquet at the last city it visited in 2007, Westminster.

Dr Refalo was invited to the event because of the link between St George and the George Cross, which bears the image of the saint in its midst, Mr Peek explained.

In Malta on a whirlwind tour, the cup has visited the band clubs and the one football club dedicated to the saint, where everyone drank from it.

After its flying visit, it is attending another major banquet in Norfolk, Mr Peek said, explaining his heartfelt interest in the Loving Cup: "St George is part of our heritage!"

Interest in the patron saint is not dwindling but no one seemed to be making the effort to try and coordinate anything, he said. It was an opportunity for the English to get together in one common celebration.

Mr Peek, together with MP Andrew Rosindell, were invited by the Malta Tourism Authority in connection with the re-enactment of the George Cross Medal award ceremony yesterday.