Malta pays tribute to war heroes on Remembrance Sunday

Malta’s fallen war heroes were remembered this morning in a poignant Remembrance Day ceremony led by President of the Republic Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

The President, together with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, laid down wreaths in commemoration of the armed forces who died in the line of duty. Mass was held at St John’s Co Cathedral and a wreath-laying ceremony took place at the foot of the war monument in Floriana.

The mass was preceded by a guard memorial in which members of the Armed Forces of Malta, the police, the Civil Protection Department and ex servicemen took part. Servicemen wearing poppies mourned the fallen of the World Wars.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna delivering his homily on Remembrance Day

In his homily, Archbishop Charles Scicluna underlined the four pillars of peace: truth, justice, charity and love, and freedom.

“The first pillar (truth) encourages you to acknowledge each and every one’s rights and duty as citizens of the Republic, including the rights and duties of your own men and women members of the Armed Forces. This requires in the leadership of the Army a strong sense of the State at the service of the common good,” the Archbishop said.

On justice, Scicluna said that if members of the Armed Forces acknowledge rights and duties, they would be more able to respect the fundamental human rights of citizens, and more able to carry out their duty under the rule of law.

“I encourage you to promote an environment of charity among all ranks, avoiding cruel gossip that poisons your morale, striving to cherish the gifts that each and everyone of you brings to the Armed Forces.”

“In the name of the people of our fair islands, I would like to thank you for your heroic work in civil protection, and for the part you play in humanitarian missions in the Mediterranean. This is indeed a generous witness to charity that is worthy of our praise and admiration, he said.

On Remembrance Sunday, a prayer that our soldiers may be keepers of the peace based on the 4 pillars: truth, justice, charity & freedom. pic.twitter.com/CKDqwBx2Pz

— Bishop CJ Scicluna (@BishopScicluna) November 13, 2016

The Archbishop said the question of freedom in the context army subject to military discipline is indeed a delicate one.

“My prayer is that the leadership and the ranks will never be faced with the tragic choice between the call of duty and the demands of conscience. As to the relationship of the Armed Forces to us, ordinary citizens of the Republic, my prayer is that you will never be called by the powers that be to deny our freedoms by force or unjust violence. May we always find in you the keepers of our security, the defenders of our freedoms,” he said.

Archibshop Charles Scicluna, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, as well as several political members and dignitaries were present for the ceremonies.

Remembrance Day recalls those who lost their lives in the two World Wars and other conflicts. 16 million people died during the First World War which begun in 1914, and 20 million others wounded in the Great War that introduced destructive weapons such as chemical gas and heavy artillery. Twenty years later, over 60 million would die in the Second World War.