The Curia said Sunday that there will be no restaurant on top of the Paola parish church, as reports indicated. But it did admit there will be a small cafeteria for parishioners and visitors.

Contrary to what has been reported, the Christ the King parish has no intention of opening a restaurant on the roof of the church. The intention is to use a room in one of the existing belfries to house a small cafeteria for parishioners and visitor, the Curia said.

Tables and chairs will be placed outside but no additional structures will be added. There will be no adverse impact on the aesthetic value of the church. It should be noted that similar initiatives have been undertaken at other churches abroad including St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The project will be carried out subject to Planning Authority approval and is progressing according to Church regulations.

This project will help the parish to be economically sustainable, thus allowing the Basilica to continue serving as a pastoral hub both for residents and the people of the south of Malta and visitors alike.

The project also includes proposals for the ground floor and rooms for pastoral use, which will offer space for the various groups of children, young people, adults and the elderly that make up the parish community, the Curia said.

Further details will be announced in due course, the Curia said.