Who is depicted by the middle figure in this frieze?

The man depicted in the middle statue is Saint Paul. The scene is from the Bible (Acts 28: 1-6). Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta. While building a fire, a viper bites Paul but he shakes it off and suffers no harm. The people were amazed and considered Paul a God. In addition to St. Paul it includes reliefs of St. Publius and St. Agatha, who are also the patron saints of Malta.

The relief is above the interior of an entrance to the city walls of Mdina on Malta. It is named the Mdina Gate. It is near the St. Paul Cathedral in that city. This city entrance was completely rebuilt in 1724, with this new Baroque gate built to designs of the French architect Charles François de Mondion.