Balzan's parish church has yesterday placed a cross which stands for hope, healing and freedom unto its facade, where it will stay till the Coronavirus pandemic is beaten.

Known as the is-salib tal-fidwa, or the cross of redemption, it symbolizes the collective hurts of those who contract the virus, their anxieties as well as their families', as well as the relentless efforts of doctors, healthcare workers and relevant authorities.

In a public Facebook post, the church wrote: "Let's allow the Holy Spirit to draw us towards Jesus's cross. That's where we'll learn to live again like brothers, in reality, and in service towards us. Only this way can the pandemic of indefference and egoism, which we've learn to live alongside with, be won over and prevented from overtaking us again," it read.