Ħal Millieri chapel, limits of Żurrieq, and Tal-Mintna catacombs, Mqabba, will be open free of charge to the public tomorrow.

St Agatha and St Blaise, two of the early saints depicted on frescos at Ħal Millieri.

The chapel, with its cycle of frescoes of early saints, is a jewel of Malta’s medieval past. It was restored and is maintained by Din l-Art Ħelwa.

The feast of the Annuncation will be celebrated tomorrow at the chapel, which will be open from 9am to 6pm. Mass will be held at 10am, followed by the blessing of the burial ground. The chapel’s curator, Anthony Mangion, will lead two guided tours at 11.15am and 4pm.

Tal-Mintna Catacombs, which are managed by Heritage Malta, is a group of three small catacombs probably used around the 4th and 6th centuries AD. They are among the best representations of rural catacombs in Malta. Most window tombs are decorated with carved pilasters and the conches of some of the tombs feature some of the best preserved representations of the scallop shell motif – a symbol frequently used in early Christian iconography.

Tours of Tal-Mintna catacombs will be held every 20 minutes from 9am to noon. A maximum of 10 people may join each tour.

The open day at the catacombs is organised by Heritage Malta in collaboration with Mqabba local council.

The open day at Ħal Millieri chapel will be held tomorrow from 9am to 6pm while that at Tal-Mintna catacombs is from 9am to noon. The chapel can be reached by taking the third left turning off Mqabba Road, from the Żurrieq entrance to Blue Grotto Avenue, or from Diamond Jubilee Square (Fuq il-Mentna) at the end of the Mqabba bypass. Admission to both sites is free of charge.