Pope Francis at the end of an open-air two-hour long Mass held on the Granaries in Floriana, Malta, on Sunday, 3 April 2022, thanked the 12,000-strong congregation for hosting him in Malta and Gozo during the past two days.
He ended his address by praying for peace, specifically referring to the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in war-torn Ukraine. He appealed for peace in the country invaded by Russia two months ago: “May we be tireless in praying and in offering assistance to those who suffer,” he said.
Pope Francis, ahead of reciting the Angelus, presented a silver chalice to the Archbishop of Malta and another one to Bishop Anton Teuma of Gozo, who also con-celebrated with the Pope. The Pope made this gift as a sign of his personal gratitude for the tireless devotion that the people of the diocese showered upon the Pope.
This silver chalice donated to the Diocese of Gozo has just been put on display at the Gozo Cathedral Museum. On exhibition in the Museum, there is a silver chalice of Pope St Paul vi donated by Martin J. O’Connor, first Apostolic Nuncio to Malta, to Bishop Nikol Cauchi on the occasion of his consecration as bishop on 9 April 1967; and another chalice donated by Pope St John-Paul II during his visit to the Cathedral on 26 May 1990.