At least 12,000 people are expected to attend Pope Francis' mass on Sunday at the Floriana Granaries.

Others have also signed up to be on the waiting list for the mass, and these have already started to be contacted. Anyone without a ticket might also be allowed into the seated area if there are no-shows, Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea Curmi said, adding this will be on a first-come-first-served basis.

The Pope will be in Malta for a two-day visit on Saturday and Sunday.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Chairman of the State Organising Committee Aaron Zahra and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea Curmi gave more details about the Papal visit, saying that it is an honour to welcome the Pope.

The last time a papal visit occurred in Malta was when Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2010.

They appealed for public enthusiasm for Pope Francis' visit to Malta. They said that in the past few hours, three vehicles arrived in Malta for the visit, two of them being Popemobiles and the other being the official car that the Pope also uses in Rome.

Zahra said that two committees, one of the state and one of the church, worked with delegations from the Vatican to prepare for the visit. He said that Malta will welcome 300 journalists, both international and Maltese. 80 of these journalists are those who accompany the Pope on his travels.

The theme of the visit was taken from the Acts of the Apostles, which emphasizes and reminds people of St Paul's Shipwreck in Malta, Galea Curmi said. He added that the Pope will deliver several speeches and messages to the people, with the aim of encouraging the Catholic faith, as well as words of hope, love, and care for all people, especially those who are suffering.

Pope Francis will arrive in Malta at 10am on Saturday, and will head immediately to the Palace in St George's Square, Valletta, greeting crowds from the balcony after he holds individual meetings with President of Malta George Vella and Prime Minister Robert Abela.

The Pope's visit includes several stops, such as the Nunzjatura Appostolika where he will stay in Rabat, St George's Square, the Ta' Pinu Sanctuary in Gozo, St' Paul's Grotto as well as St Paul's Basilica, the Floriana Granaries, as well as the Hal Far Peace Laboratory.

At the Basilica, the Pope will meet with people from various organisations, such as Caritas, Fondazzjoni Sebh, Dar tal-Providenza, among others, Galea Curmi said. At St. Paul's Grotto, he will light a candle in commemoration of his visit to the site.

The Pope will visit the Ta' Pinu Sanctuary where he will deliver a liturgy and welcome prayers. The Pope will hold a mass at the Floriana Granaries, which hundreds of priests will participate in.

At the Hal Far Peace Laboratory, the Pope will meet with migrants and give his blessings.