Maltese Cardinal Prospero Grech was given his final goodbye on Thursday morning during a funeral at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. 

The funeral Mass was led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the vice-dean of the College of Cardinals after a Vatican official signed the traditional Rogito - a testament to his life that will be placed inside the coffin just before it is sealed.

At the end of the Mass, Pope Francis presided over the final part of the funeral rites. President George Vella, his wife Miriam, Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela and Malta’s ambassador to the Vatican, Frank Zammit were among the mourners. 

“On Christmas Eve he was here with us and concelebrated the Christmas Eve Mass with the Holy Father. On Monday, he was at table with the Augustinian community, conversing with us in his affable character as he did usually. But a few hours later, the Lord called him by his side,” Cardinal Re said during his homily. 

Photo: Servizio Fotografico Vaticano

“It was a sudden death, but one which did not find Cardinal Grech unprepared. He turned 94 on Christmas Eve. He was awaiting his final call after a consecrated life which he dedicated to God and the Augustinian Order,” he added.

The dean of the College of Cardinals traced the existence of Cardinal Grech, for whom the study and teaching of Theology were central, “in full fidelity to the Magisterium of the church”, first in his homeland, Malta, and then at various Roman and British universities. He had also written several articles dedicated to the Holy Scripture.

Born Stanley Grech, Cardinal Grech joined the Augustinian Order in 1943, was ordained to the priesthood at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome in 1950. Nine years later, he was appointed lecturer at the Augustinian Theological College, Rabat. He also served as secretary at the Vatican Vicariate and professor at the Augustine Institute in Rome.

Pope Francis presides over last part of funeral rites. Photo: Ambassador Frank Zammit/Facebook

During his time in Rome, one of his duties included dressing Pope John XXIII and Paul VI for liturgical functions. 

During the 1963 Papal conclave, he was asked to hear Giovanni Battista Montini's confession a couple of hours prior to his election as Pope Paul VI.

“Together with this extraordinary activity of study and teaching, Cardinal Prospero always found the time to carry out intense pastoral activity in the chapel of Santa Monica, where he was willingly also available to listen to confessions,” Cardinal Re said. 

He said Cardinal Grech always put God first. "[Cardinal Grech] was a religious of great doctrine and deep spirituality, who loved the church and religious life and, above all, who always put God first and above everything”.

Photo: Ambassador Frank Zammit

The College of Cardinals is now composed of 223 cardinals from 24 religious orders and 90 countries, including 25 European countries.