Mourners from all walks of life have visited the body of Monsignor Victor Grech ahead of his funeral on Saturday, describing him as a "saint" whose "love had no limits". 

The anti-drug campaigner and long-standing Caritas Malta director, known as Dun Victor, died on Wednesday at the age of 95. 

On Friday morning, people flocked to San Blas Therapeutic Community Centre in Żebbuġ, where his body will lie in repose for public viewing until 6pm, with a book of condolences available to be signed by members of the public. 

Among those paying respects were residents of the drug rehabilitation centre, family members, politicians, members of the clergy and parishioners from Tal-Ibraġ where the priest lived and served.

Former parishioner Ian Zammit held back tears as he recalled how Mgr Grech had baptised his first grandson and celebrated mass for his daughter's wedding.

"He was like family," Zammit said. He described how they asked Mgr Grech to heal his wife, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. 

Charles Dimech said Mgr Grech had presided over the funeral of his wife, who died three months ago.  

“My wife used to tell him ‘you are my saint, you are my saint’,” he said. 

People line the streets to pay their respects to Mgr Victor Grech. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Also paying respects was Mgr Grech's niece, Marthese Xuereb, who said her uncle loved life with the passion of "a young child" and "loved people, whoever they are”. 

“For him, the love he had for his family and for the people he met, even if he met them for the first time, he would love them all the same, without any limits," she said. 

She described her uncle as a “second father” who was always ready to support the family.

“One of the things which makes me laugh is his sense of adventure,” she said. “If we would go out driving in the countryside, every road, no matter how narrow or how many holes it had, he wanted to explore it.

“He was like that until the very end. There are 12-year-olds today who do not have this sense of enthusiasm for life, and when I think about him that is what comes to mind.”

‘He was so disciplined and patient with people’

President Emeritus George Abela, the father of Prime Minister Robert Abela, was also present at San Blas. 

He said the first time he worked with Dun Victor was back when he was still a lawyer, and described how he got in touch with him for a separation case of a couple. 

“Many people associate him with his work on tackling drug abuse, but he did so much more,” he said. 

“You cannot calculate the amount of good he did for the people. He was so disciplined, so patient to hear people, and you can see that here today.”

Flags fly at half mast ahead of the funeral on Saturday, which is a national day of mourning. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Members of Caritas were also present on Friday morning. Its head of PR Marica Cassar said when she was in the room with Dun Victor, she would feel a sense of calmness.

"He lived a simple life, and he used to always tell me to keep my feet on the ground," she said, noting how he was also a perfectionist, wanting everything in order.

On Saturday, the funeral cortège will leave the community centre at 9.15am before proceeding to the parish church in Tal-Ibraġ, where it is due to arrive at around 9.45am.