Jesuit Fr Eddie Mercieca succumbed to COVID-19 on Saturday night, becoming Malta’s 64th victim of the virus.

The health authorities said on Sunday he was confirmed positive to COVID-19 on October 15 and was admitted to St Thomas Hospital on October 17 and transferred to Mater Dei Hospital on October 21.

His loss to the Jesuit community follows that of 76-year-old Fr Lino Cardona, who became the 60th victim of coronavirus on Thursday.

Tribute to Mercieca was paid on Facebook on Sunday by Jesuit priest Patrick Magro who said Mercieca spent a lifetime bringing people closer to Jesus, “now you meet Him face to face”.

Aged 80, Mercieca joined the Jesuits in 1959 and took his first vows two years later. He served in the missions in Chile between 1963 and 2004, when he was appointed promoter of Ignatian Spirituality. In this capacity, he visited more than 30 countries to conduct seminars and workshops.

In 2012, he was appointed Spiritual Father at the Pontificio Collegio Pio Latino Americano in Rome and the following year returned to Malta for good.

For three years he was at Mount St Joseph Retreat House in Mosta and served as retreat director and pastoral Minister.

In 2015, due to ill health, he joined the community at Loyola House, Naxxar.