Pope Francis was the third pope to visit Malta, coming over for a two-day visit in April 2022,
His papal visit marked the first visit to the country in 12 years, since Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2010. Francis was on his 36th official trip as head of the Church, the first in Malta.
The first pope to visit Malta was Pope John Paul II, who visited the country in 1990, and again in 2001.
Pope Francis died on the morning of Easter Monday aged 88.
In 2022, just one week after a general election was held, Pope Francis was greeted by cheering crowds in Valletta, as well as by then-President George Vella, Prime Minister Robert Abela and other dignitaries.
In his address to the Maltese audience four years ago, Pope Francis had said that the world yearns for "human moderation before the infantile and destructive aggression that threatens us, before the risk of an enlarged Cold War that can stifle the life of entire peoples and generations."
He had warned of 'cold wind of war', and spoke of the need to eradicate corruption, and a need for "honesty, justice, sense of duty, and transparency," as the essential pillars of a civil society. He had spoken of global problems and crises and urged everyone to "go back to gathering in international peace conferences, where the theme of disarmament will have a central place, where our thoughts will turn to future generations, and where the enormous funds that continue to be destined to weaponry may be diverted to development, health care and nutrition."
In his speech, Pope Francis had encouraged Malta to maintain a strong commitment in eliminating illegality and corruption. Pope Francis had highlighted not only the challenges that Malta faces, including such issues related to the environment, corruption and economic transparency, but also the conflict between Russian and Ukraine and the global consequences that this war will have. He had focused on the issue of migration, and made reference to the protection and rightful dignity of workers, the elderly and the sick as well as those young people who "risk squandering all the good they have within them by following mirages that leave only emptiness in their wake."
Pope Francis had mentioned Malta's National anthem written by Dun Karm Psaila, saying that "unity and peace are the gifts that the Maltese people implore from God whenever the National Anthem is sung."He had quoted the following particular verse from the National Anthem: "Grant, Almighty God, wisdom to those who govern, strength to those who work, affirm unity among the Maltese people and peace," saying that peace follows unity and rises up from it."This reminds us of the importance of working together, of choosing cohesion to division, and of strengthening the shared roots and values that have forged the Maltese society in its uniqueness," Pope Francis had said.
During his Easter address on Sunday, a day before his death, Pope Francis urged for a ceasefire in Gaza, and condemned the humanitarian crisis which has unfolded because of Israel's military campaign.The 88-year-old pope appeared briefly at the end of the Vatican's Mass for Easter for a twice-yearly blessing message known as the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world), from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica.
He appealed for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and to come to the air of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace. In his message, read out by an aide due to the Pope's frailing health, he condemned the "deplorable humanitarian situation" in Gaza, and expressed solidarity with both Israeli and Palestinian people.The late Pope had suffered a life-threatening case of double pneumonia and kidney complications, for which he required a five-week stay at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.
