Feast of Saint Paul's Shipwreck in Malta in Malta

A public holiday with employment rules

Malta’s public holidays are regulated by the National Holidays and Other Public Holidays Act, Chapter 252. The government lists 10 February as the Feast of St. Paul’s Shipwreck, and the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER) includes it among the country’s 14 paid holidays.[1][2]

A paid public holiday does not necessarily mean every employee has the day off. Pay and leave arrangements depend on the applicable Wage Regulation Order or, where none applies, the national standard. DIER’s guidance includes cases where employees who work receive additional pay, and cases where a public holiday falling on a scheduled day off adds equivalent hours of vacation leave.[1][2]

The Pauline tradition in Malta

The feast recalls the Christian tradition that Paul was shipwrecked on Malta around A.D. 60. Heritage Malta describes the connection between Paul and Publius at the site of San Pawl Milqi as a traditional claim. It also cautions that the origins of the site’s Pauline tradition are unclear, so the specific location should not be treated as archaeologically established.[3][4]

The story has a place in Malta’s religious heritage, but claims that the episode alone established Christianity across the island go beyond what these sources verify. San Pawl Milqi, in Burmarrad, contains the remains of a Roman villa and a chapel built in the early 17th century; Heritage Malta says the site’s name and chapel are connected with the local Pauline tradition.[4]

Religious observances and heritage

Valletta’s Collegiate Parish Church of St Paul’s Shipwreck is a focus of the feast. Archdiocese of Malta records describe a solemn relic ceremony and first vespers on the eve, followed by a pontifical Mass on the feast day. These are documented examples of the church’s observances, rather than a fixed schedule for every year.[5]

San Pawl Milqi in Burmarrad is another place associated with the feast. Heritage Malta has documented a feast-day opening there that included Mass at the chapel, but the site is normally open by appointment. Visitors should check Heritage Malta’s current arrangements before making a trip.[4][6]

Planning for the day

San Pawl Milqi in Burmarrad contains the remains of a Roman villa and a chapel built in the early 17th century.[4]