Palm Sunday was celebrated in all its immense solemnity in St Paul’s Cathedral in Tirana. Celebrated by the Archbishop of Tirana-Durrës, Monsignor Arjan Dodaj, Conventual Chaplain ad honorem of the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, the mass was preceded by the traditional procession in the gardens of the archdiocese.

Hundreds of faithful came to the cathedral to celebrate the triumphal entry into Jerusalem of Jesus, riding on a donkey and hailed by the crowd waving palm branches. Among the hundreds of faithful were also the vibrant voices of Malteser Youth Germany, who added youthful energy to the solemnity of the occasion as they established their journey to the Land of Eagles in cooperation with the Albanian Organisation of the Order of Malta.

Ambassador Stefano Palumbo and the First Secretary of the Embassy Mr. Stiven Shala, representing the Sovereign Order of Malta, participated in the solemn religious celebration together with the Consul General of Italy in Vlore, Mrs. Iva Palmieri accompanied by the Vice Consul Antonio Rapisardi, Knight of Magistral Grace of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.