St. Benild School celebrates its Patron Saint - the traditional way

On Friday 28th January, St. Benild School celebrated the feast of its school Patron Saint: St. Benild Romançon.

The day kicked off with an online, recorded, whole school assembly prepared by one of our Grade one classes. This assembly commemorated the life of the saint.

Moreover, the pupils experienced features of a traditional Maltese village feast. The school was highly decorated in advance with several banners, appropriate tinsel and flags. The feast included the grand entrance of our children carrying a portrait of the school's patron saint. Members of Spinola Band Club regaled all present with traditional march music, which considerably enhanced the already ecstatic atmosphere. Shredded used paper filled the air whilst the children joyfully jumped in the playground. Social distance was strictly adhered to; having only one class celebrating at a time ensured ample space in the open air playground.

Various hands-on activities, organised by the teaching teams, elicited all participants to relive the life and times of 18th Century France. These featured throughout the day, in every class.

The boys were thrilled to receive a souvenir keychain, specifically designed for this occasion. The keychain presented key vocabulary in Maltese used to describe traditional feast features.

It was a memorable day which all staff and children will treasure. A day in the course of which the saint who, in Pope Pius XII words, endured “the terrible daily grind” by “doing common things in an uncommon way” struck a familiar note. Doing ordinary things extraordinarily well, this is the legacy we, as a school, aspire to keep––the legacy of St. Benild Romançon.

It is worth recalling that St. Benild Romançon was the first Brother saint of the Institute to be canonised and the second Saint after Jean Baptiste de La Salle, the patron saint of all teachers.