“Saint Gorg Preca pray for us.” With these words, said in Maltese, Pope Benedict XVI greeted the over 5,000 Maltese pilgrims who visited the Eternal City to attend the canonisation ceremony of the very first Maltese saint, whom he also described as “a friend of Jesus”.

The constant rain that hit Rome did not deter the thousands of Maltese, who flocked to St Peter’s Square to take part in the ceremony during which the founder of the Society of Christian Doctrine (MUSEUM), Dun Gorg Preca, was declared a saint.

It was reported that a sizeable chunk of the 30,000-strong congregation was Maltese, something which could easily be proven by the sheer amount of Maltese flags that popped out from the conglomeration of umbrellas that filled St Peter’s Square.

After Mass, the Pope, dressed in the chasuble donated by the MUSEUM, greeted the pilgrims in various languages. In very clear Maltese, he bade peace onto the Maltese and Gozitans, his brothers in Christ.

Addressing the Maltese pilgrims, the Pope said “St Gorg Preca is the first son of your sweet land to be canonised.” Emulating his predecessor Pope John Paul II, he called him “the second spiritual father of the Maltese after the Apostle St Paul.” He called on the Maltese to pray for him and to be friends of the Gospel as he was.

Before the Mass started, six texts written by Dun Gorg were read by MUSEUM members. Emmanuel Curmi read in Maltese, Joe Kielnerowski from Australia read in English while Pauline Grech read in Italian.

Soon after the start of the Mass, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, accompanied by the consistorial advocate and the four postulators, among whom Mgr Charles J. Scicluna, asked Pope Benedict XVI to include the four blesseds among the Church’s saints.

Afterwards, the Cardinal read the lives of the blesseds in brief. Dun Gorg was given precedence since he was the only diocesan priest among the new saints.

The Holy Father prayed for the intercession of the Holy Spirit and Christ to illuminate the Church “on this day in which some of our children are being declared saints.” Then the Litany of the Saints was sung and the Pope prayed that “our service is pleasing to you and that it may be of benefit to your Church.”

Afterwards he said: “we declare Blesseds Gorg Preca, Simon of Lipnica, Fr Charles of St Andrew and Marie Eugenie of Jesus Milleret as saints, and we include them in the list of saints and we ascertain their veneration as saints within the Church. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” At this, the square roared with shouts of Amen and applause from the congregation, which thus gave its assent.

Then, the Pope gave his assent to the publishing of an apostolic letter that effectively places the new saints in the canons of the Holy Church. Afterwards, the relics of the new saints were placed on prominent places in the papal tribune. The parish priest of St Cajetan, Hamrun, Fr Paul Fenech proceeded with MUSEUM members Christopher Cutajar from Siggiewi and Marisa Micallef from Ghaxaq to place the silver reliquary of St Gorg containing a phial with his own blood.

A number of Maltese prelates concelebrated: Archbishop Mgr Paul Cremona OP, Archbishop Emeritus Mgr Joseph Mercieca, Bishop Mgr Mario Grech, Mgr Lawrence Gatt, Ecclesiastical Assistance of the MUSEUM in Malta, Mgr Saviour Borg, Ecclesiastical Assistance of the MUSEUM in Gozo, Fr Charles Gauci, Ecclesiastical Assistance of the MUSEUM in South Australia, Mgr Arthur Said Pullicino, Archbishop’s Delegate for the cause of Dun Gorg, Vice Postulator Mgr Joseph Fenech and Mgr Vincent Deguara, Spiritual Director of the Seminary. The Prior General of the Carmelite Order, Joseph Chalmers O.Carm also concelebrated, due to the fact that Saint Gorg was a Third Order Carmelite with the name of Franco.

Fifty Maltese priests delivered the Communion while four seminarists, two from each diocese (Malta and Gozo) undertook liturgical services. Deacon Nicholas Doublet was responsible for the incense brazier, while Deacon Mario Mangion sang the Gospel, bade peace and also sang the concluding words Ite Missa Est.

All the other Maltese and Gozitan seminarists, together with about 100 priests, were seated in the Cappella Papale during the ceremony, which was attended by President Edward Fenech Adami and Mrs Mary Fenech Adami, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Mrs Kate Gonzi and Opposition Leader Alfred Sant.

Archbishop Cremona will today celebrate a thanksgiving Mass at St Peter’s Basilica.

The saint’s relic, which was brought to Rome by the Archbishop will be brought back tomorrow by Gozo Bishop Mario Grech. The relic will be taken to Gozo and exhibited for public reverence on Tuesday afternoon and will be brought back to St John’s Co-Cathedral for public worship the following day.

A thanksgiving Mass will be held on Thursday at the Granaries in Floriana at 7.30pm. The relic will be carried in a procession from the Co-Cathedral to the Floriana Granaries. After the celebration, the relic will be taken to the MUSEUM chapel in Blata l-Bajda. On Friday, at 7.30pm, the relic will be returned to St Cajetan parish church in Hamrun, which has been its home for many years.