Tenor Joseph Calleja will be holding his first Christmas concert in Malta this year to raise money for a worthy cause.

All proceeds from the December 17 concert will go towards the Divine Mercy Shrine in San Pawl Tat-Tarġa, where the concert is being held. It will then be followed by a reception at nearby Villa Arrigo.

Mr Calleja, whose friendship with the shrine’s rector Fr Michael Agius goes back years, said he “felt immediately attuned to Fr Michael’s vision for this place” when he first visited the church.

“The shrine immediately came to mind as an ideal intimate venue for my first Christmas concert in Malta. At the same time, I am happy to help raise more money for the completion of this project so that families can continue to gather at this holy place,” the tenor said.

When he took over the pastoral zone, Fr Agius found an empty shrine in shell form, works on which had been stalled for five years due to a lack of funds. The energetic priest then set about changing the situation.

Nowadays, the airy, well-lit building is alive and well, and is set to be consecrated early next year. However, there is a substantial loan to be paid off, as well as other important finishing touches – including three portals to replace steel shutters more commonly seen on garage doors.

Complementing these will be a bronze statue of Christ, fashioned by Austin Camilleri, who last year completed the church’s Via Crucis paintings.

Fr Agius said that apart from these embellishments, funds were also required to furnish the shrine’s basement, which houses the spiritual formation classes for 250 children.

The shrine caters for the pastoral needs of families living in the San Pawl tat-Tarġa and Birguma areas, but people from various other areas visit. For further information contact the shrine on 2158 1266 or e-mail dvnmercy1@gmail.com.