Heritage Malta has officially received the European Heritage Label for St Paul's Catacombs during a ceremony in Brussels, formally recognising the site's significance within Europe's shared history and values. The honour will be marked locally with a dedicated programme of public events at the Catacombs on Sunday 24 May.

The ceremony, which formally welcomed delegations representing the newly selected European Heritage Label sites, marked the culmination of a selection process announced last February. The event opened with a keynote address by the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef.

Noel Zammit, Heritage Malta's Chief Executive Officer, received the official plaque on behalf of the agency and stated that, "This recognition reinforces Malta's cultural presence within Europe, highlighting ongoing efforts to connect national heritage with wider European narratives while ensuring accessibility for diverse audiences. It also strengthens the Catacombs' role within international cultural networks and fills us with confidence that more Maltese sites will achieve similar recognition in the future."

This year's event also commemorated 15 years of the European Heritage Label, a European Commission initiative under the Creative Europe framework. The label recognises sites that have played a key role in shaping Europe's history, culture and values, while actively engaging younger generations.

St Paul's Catacombs in Rabat are the first Maltese site to receive this recognition. Dating back to Punic, Roman and Byzantine times, they are Malta's largest burial complex from the classical period. The site uniquely brings together Jewish, Polytheistic and Christian burials within the same cemetery, offering early material evidence of religious coexistence and freedom of belief in Europe.

On Sunday 24 May, to celebrate this milestone, St Paul's Catacombs will open their doors for a full day of engaging activities, including a Roman funerary procession, an 'Ask the Curator' session, as well as an osteology hands-on activity and a treasure hunt designed especially for children. Guided tours will run throughout the day, offering deeper insight into the site's history. More information and ticket details will be available in the coming weeks on heritagemalta.mt/whats-on and Heritage Malta's social media channels.