Maltese couple Henry and Inez Casolani, who are being considered for canonisation, are a step closer to sainthood as the review process in the Vatican officially started.

On Tuesday morning, boxes of sealed documents containing the evidence compiled by the diocesan inquiry in Malta were opened by Vatican cardinals in what is known as the Opening of the Roman Phase.

A special Church commission within the Vatican will now review and study the documents to determine whether the couple lived a life of virtuous theology, based on the values of faith, hope and charity, explained Frank Zammit the Maltese Ambassador to the Vatican.

If the Vatican commission decides in favour of the couple – who are currently deemed ‘servants of God’ – they will earn the title of ‘venerable’. To be beatified, one verified miracle attributed to their intercession is required (except for martyrs). Finally, canonization - official sainthood - requires a second verified miracle (or one for martyrs) and grants universal recognition in the Church.

Stephanie Quintano, the president of the Casolanis’ canonisation process, stressed it is very rare for a married couple to go through the process together. Henry and Inez Casonali are the first lay couple in Maltese history to be considered for the holy process.

The path to sainthood

The diocesan inquiry (in Malta) was launched in 2015 following reports of miraculous healings attributable to the couple.

Inez Casolani was born in Cospicua in 1915, with Henry Casolani born two years later in Valletta. The couple married in 1944 and had one daughter, who became a nun.

In an interview with Times of Malta in 2014 their daughter, Sr Cecilia Mary Casolani, described her parents as a couple who “loved everyone, whether a beggar or a bishop, and did not hold any grudges”.

“They were extremely generous and when people asked them how they were going to let go of me, they replied they would not stop my vocation,” said their daughter, who became a nun when she was 19.

Henry and Inez Casolani with their daughter Sr Cecilia. Photos published in biography A Couple Moulded in Christ.

Henry is said to have healed from a serious eye condition through the intercession of Adeodata Pisani, a Maltese nun beatified in 2001. Inez recovered from a severe fever through a holy relic of St Ġorġ Preca, Malta’s first saint.

Inez Casolani died in 1992 while Henry passed away in 1999. In ensuing years, the Church received reports that a premature baby who was given no chance of surviving had grown into a healthy boy following prayers to the couple. The canonisation process for both started in 2015 following a request to the archbishop by Canon Etienne Sciberras, who presented a list of 180 witnesses to testify as well as declarations by 60 people who had already died.

That diocese process was concluded last year. Now the new stage within the Vatican starts.

Malta has one saint - San Ġorġ Preca. Two people have been beatified: Blessed Adeodata Pisani and Blessed Nazju Falzon, while one person is deemed venerable: Mother Margherita Debrincat, co-foundress of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

Henry and Inez Casolani's daughter Sr Cecilia (second from right) witnessed the opening of the boxes containing the evidence compiled by the diocesan inquiry in Malta,