A total of 3,400 Maltese have registered with the organising committee within the Curia to book a ticket for the function of the canonisation of Dun Gorg Preca that will take place at the Vatican.

The canonisation will be led by Pope Benedict XVI at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome on 3 June.

The committee is organising a meeting for tour operators on Friday at 10am at the Curia.

Registration for tickets will remain open until the end of April.

People travelling to Rome for the canonisation ceremony will be exempt from paying the departure tax.

The government had said that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the Maltese people and that it wants to give this concession for this occasion to be enjoyed by the greatest number of people possible.