An omelette and an anthem

Writing for the Ashland Daily Tidings, Jeff Cheek calls Malta the 'island of sunshine and history' and says that it had a huge impact on world history. In his piece, he brings together history, a recipe for a lenten omelette and a translation of Malta's national anthem:

The island is tiny by world standards, just 17 miles long and 9 at its widest point. How can such a small island have a major role in world history ? The answer is two words: strategic location. Malta is 58 miles south of Sicily and 163 miles north of Africa. It was the crossroads of the Mediterranean. Whoever controlled Malta and her deepwater ports dominated shipping in this vast and turbulent sea. Archeological evidence suggests that the island has been inhabited for at least 7,000 years..

Both Maltese and English were designated as their official national languages. They already had a national anthem, adopted in 1923. The music was composed by Dr. Robert Samut; the lyrics by Dun Karm Psaila, a well known priest and poet. Dun Karm was later named Malta’s national poet. He wrote words that he hoped would bridge the gap between political factions and appeal to both religious and patriotic sentiment...