The rain and wind yesterday did not keep Victor Vidal from leaving his home at 6am to secure a good spot on St Paul’s church parvis in Rabat to greet the new Archbishop.
“I took a liking to Mgr Scicluna immediately. He is Archbishop Gonzi the Second, because he has a strong character,” said the 66-year-old from Sliema.
“I have been praying a lot hoping Mgr Charles Scicluna gets chosen because we need an archbishop like him who can be firm with our priests. Mgr Scicluna is a true Archbishop and I have great trust in him.”
A couple of feet away, 72-year-old Maria Dolores Sapiano waited for the arrival of Mgr Scicluna under an umbrella, accompanied by her cousin Mary Grace Sammut. She also has been looking forward to the new Archbishop’s appointment.
Knowledgeable and well-disciplined, the 55-year-old is down to earth, she said.
“He also seems to attract younger generations, who are ultimately the future of our society.”
It was a wet and windy start to the day but even the sun came out to greet Mgr Scicluna on his way to the Mdina Cathedral for his Episcopal ordination yesterday morning.
This was Mgr Scicluna’s seventh and last stop before he was installed as Malta’s new Archbishop, two and a half hours after he set off from the parish church of his hometown Lija.
Waving and giving the thumbs up to well-wishers, the “jolly” bishop was greeted by a fireworks salute and a crowd huddled under umbrellas in Lija.
He was then escorted by police outriders to the pealing of church bells and camera snaps in Rabat, where he first stopped at the Franciscan church of Our Lady of Good Health to meet the sick and volunteers who organise pilgrimages to Lourdes.
Mgr Scicluna then boarded an open-top jeep to continue his journey to St Dominic’s church where he was warmly embraced by his predecessor Mgr Paul Cremona to the applause of a large congregation.
There were no big numbers in the wet and cold streets but crowds waited outside every church or chapel he stopped by and many pushed their way through to kiss his hand.
At his next stop at St Paul’s church in Rabat, Anthony and Yvonne Cotter, both 74, waited alongside their new Rabat parishioners.
The couple moved from Hampshire, in the UK, to Rabat earlier this year, 50 years after they lived here for some time when Mr Cotter was a radar technician with the Royal Air Force.
Since their stint in Malta between 1963 and 1966, the two saw the island change over the years.
“We’ve visited every winter and over the past decades we noticed that there used to be a stronger sense of community and stronger families. Mgr Scicluna looks so jolly and family-oriented,” said Ms Cotter.
“We hope his nice attitude strengthens the community. He’s a young man so he’s got many years of work ahead of him.”
Another couple, Paul and Bernadette Borg, 53, believe Mgr Scicluna was capable of guiding the Church forward during these challenging times. They admire his sense of humour which does not prevent him from maintaining strong values.
“He says what he needs to say and we have our minds at rest that he will uphold the Church’s values.
“When challenged during interviews, he is able to provide an answer, so we believe he can clarify questions Catholics have from time to time.”
The sun finally came out as Mgr Scicluna approached the old capital and he paused outside St Agatha’s chapel where he was greeted by leaders of other Christian churches and traditions in Malta.
Later, outside the cathedral, he was greeted by the head of the Muslim community in Malta, Imam Mohammed Elsadi.
There, a big screen was set up for those who were following Mgr Scicluna’s cortege through the streets but did not make it into St Paul’s.
For Rita Demicoli, who followed the new archbishop from Rabat, Mgr Scicluna’s Episcopal ordination recalled the installation ceremonies of his predecessors. Ms Demicoli remembers four archbishops but was struck by Mgr Scicluna’s friendly nature which she hopes will engage youths.