President George Abela this evening inaugurated the restored Russian Chapel at San Anton Palace in Attard.

The chapel has served Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic denominations.

Designed by General Sir George Whitmore, the 19th century chapel was constructed for Protestant worship. When Queen Victoria's second son, Alfred Ernest Albert was stationed in Malta with his wife Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, they took up residence at San Anton Palace, and the chapel was adapted for the religious requirements of the Grand Duchess, who was a Russian Orthodox Christian. Nowadays, Catholic mass is celebrated every Sunday at 9am.

The restoration of the chapel took more than a year and was supported by Snezhana and Eugene Bodishtianu who have been in Malta for the past 18 years, and manage a Russian boarding school.

A series of 16th century Russian icons will be on display for the public for the coming two weeks between 9am and 6pm.

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