Children of the Romanian Orthodox parish in Valletta sang carols to the President of Malta

The children’s choir of the Romanian Orthodox parish in Valletta sang Christmas carols to the President of Malta on Thursday. It was the second time Romanian children sang carols at the Presidential Palace in Malta.

The concert was preceded by a short presentation by Father George-Alexandru Popescu, who thanked the Presidential couple and mentioned that it is very important that these children do not lose their ancestral language and customs, but at the same time, they respect the local culture, language and tradition.

Next, Nicoleta Roventa and Anna Pânzariu, Romanian pupils from Maltese schools, presented the custom of carol singing in Romania.

The children’s choir of the Romanian Orthodox parish in Valletta sang Christmas carols to the President of Malta on Thursday, December 22, 2022. Photo source: Theofania.ro

The recital was then performed by the children of the parish, whose origins are both in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Dressed in Romanian folk costumes, they sang in Romanian, Maltese and English in front of the President of Malta, George Vella, and the country’s First Lady, Miriam Vella.

Andreea Popescu, the parish priest consort, told Theofania.ro that the three carols in Maltese were a big surprise for the hosts, with the First Lady of Malta betraying her emotion with a few tears.

The children’s choir of the Romanian Orthodox parish in Valletta sang Christmas carols to the President of Malta on Thursday, December 22, 2022. Photo source: Theofania.ro

After the recital, the President of Malta thanked the children and said that what happened at the event was a model of integration of a foreign community in Malta.

He told them their parents worked to build the economy, pay their taxes and follow the rules and the law of their country of adoption.

The children’s choir of the Romanian Orthodox parish in Valletta sang Christmas carols to the President of Malta (photo above) on Thursday, December 22, 2022. Photo source: Theofania.ro

The President of Malta later tweeted some thoughts about the visit of the Romanian children. “This is what we like integration in Malta to look like,” he said.

George Vella then had a long chat with the children, saying he was glad that they attend schools in Malta and live in mixed communities. The children were given sweets and invited to a buffet with food and refreshments, so they spent an hour at the Presidential Palace in Valletta.

The children’s choir of the Romanian Orthodox parish in Valletta sang Christmas carols to the President of Malta on Thursday, December 22, 2022. Photo source: Theofania.ro

The Romanian community in Malta gave the Presidential couple, as a token of appreciation, a painted icon and a Romanian blouse for the First Lady of Malta.

His Excellency Lino Bianco, Ambassador of Malta to Romania, attended the event, being a great admirer of Romania and a diplomat who has organised many events with the Romanian Orthodox Parish in Valletta.

The children’s choir of the Romanian Orthodox Parish of Valletta is coordinated by Fatehr George-Alexandru Popescu, the Romanian Parish Priest in Valletta, and his consort, Andreea Popescu.

The children’s choir of the Romanian Orthodox parish in Valletta sang Christmas carols to the President of Malta on Thursday, December 22, 2022. Photo source: Theofania.ro

During the recital, the children were accompanied on accordion by Maltese Karen Vin Camileri. Carols in Maltese were prepared by the children together with Audrienne Fenech.

This was the second time Romanian children sang Christmas carols at the Presidential Palace, after a one-year break due to the pandemic.


The children’s choir of the Romanian Orthodox parish in Valletta sang Christmas carols to the President of Malta on Thursday, December 22, 2022. Photo source: Theofania.ro

The Romanian Orthodox Parish in Malta, dedicated to “The Nativity of St. John the Baptist”, was established on April 7, 2014, in Valletta, with the blessing of His Eminence Siluan, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Italy. Father George-Alexandru Popescu became the parish priest of the community on January 1, 2020.

Photo source: Theofania.ro

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