The office of Missio Malta in Mosta inaugurated a new chapel. It serves as a place of worship and meditation for staff, volunteers and visitors. The design of the chapel was entrusted to Maltese artist Anthony Patrick Vella who shares his experience with us.
One day I received a phone call from Fr Victor Agius, Director of Missio1, who shared his dream with me. He wanted to build an Adoration Chapel within the Missio complex. He had learnt through Fr Adrian Caruana Colombo that I had previously built an Adoration Chapel in the parish of Santa Lucija, so he asked if I was interested in bringing this dream to life.
I accepted Fr Victor’s offer with enthusiasm and a meeting was quickly scheduled in his office with the staff and key stakeholders involved. I remember that throughout that meeting I tried to be like an empty vessel, mostly by welcoming each one and by trying to accommodate their needs and desires for the project.
Subsequently, through the sharing of ideas and life experiences with Fr Victor, I felt within me that ours was a meeting of souls with a single objective: that of coming together in the presence of Jesus. I had begun to jot down some suggestions on paper and I felt my determination to carry out the task was the effect of a special grace; in fact I did not limit myself to one proposal but four! Throughout the process, there was no shortage of difficulties and adversities, but with the presence of Jesus among us, we helped one another to better carry out our tasks.
Fr Victor told me that out of the four proposals, the first one communicated a sense of serenity to him, so we decided to go with this design. Since the space in the chapel is in the shape of an L, inverted vertically, and therefore a defined shape, I wanted to create the feeling of one journeying in a clockwise direction.
Design concept: A journey of Faith
I would like to briefly describe the concept behind the design. It starts in elevation, from the left wall, depicting the life of the missionary. This is represented by five small paintings hung horizontally, each narrating a stage in missionary life. These paintings include reflective elements, allowing visitors to see themselves within the context of the work, both literally and figuratively.
The stained-glass window in the adjacent wall features a mosaic that curves to the right which symbolises the “Yes of Mary” and her protective Mantle from which the shape of the Cross emerges. This is composed of a continuous recess that curves towards the right. The artwork is interrupted by a space in order to let in the natural light, and then the curve continues until it reaches the culminating part which is Jesus in the tabernacle.
The idea of the curves in the overall design represents what Chiara Lubich once said: “In the presence of Jesus and Mary, we are in the bosom of the Father”. Through the choice of natural earthy colours, I wanted to convey the sensation of being in the midst of nature, at the centre of creation. For the benches and the altar we chose ashwood with a light grain and natural strain, to accompany the vision of nature. The four benches are made up of four concentric arcs.
The altar is in the shape of an ellipse; this does not rest on the ground, but rather protrudes from the wall like a shelf in order to give a sense of continuity to the environment. The tabernacle is crafted from a metal cylinder painted in antique gold. The diameter is seventy-five centimetres and at the centre is a small circular container which hosts the Eucharist. From the circular design, four acute-angled triangles emerge in the shape of a cross that form a star, symbolising the North Star guiding missionaries on their path.
A collaborative process
Right from the start, this experience was built on relationships with all those who worked to build the chapel. So many exchanges of ideas and time spent with these people! I feel that they enriched me not only professionally but also humanly. I will always carry them in my heart. Every moment was a human and divine story that added another tile to the mosaic. I will forever remember the beautiful relationships and the love that the Volunteers put in. I can say that this experience has strengthened my gaze towards the goal, that of being another Mary in society.
It was a unique experience that I will always cherish, and this is why I would like to communicate it to everyone because while working in the artistic field helps us build a harmonious environment, at the same time it also creates harmony and unites people:
“ars concordiae gentium”.
Anthony Patrick Vella
1 The official Missionary agency of the Catholic Church in Malta
Website: www.anthonypatrickvella.com
This article was published in New City Magazine (UK), January 2025 edition, page 20-21
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