In June 1981, doctors told Tony Gambin that he only had days left to live. 

Ten days later, Gambin was out of hospital and back at work. The sickness that almost killed him was nowhere to be seen. 

Medical examiners could not explain it. And in 2001, twenty years after the medical incident, his recovery would serve as the basis for the beatification of Nazju Falzon.

Gambin, who served as the national football team's masseur for 38 years, died on Monday aged 83. 

The story of how he was miraculously cured from cancer is recounted in the book ‘Beatu Nazju Falzon – Alla jibqa’ ifejjaq’  by Mgr Philip Calleja and Charles Buttigieg, was published in 2016. 

Nazju Falzon was a Maltese cleric and a professed member of the Secular Franciscan Order. After his death in 1865, many prayed and earned graces through his intercession.

Nazju Falzon was a Maltese cleric and a professed member from the Secular Franciscan Order. Photo: Wikipedia

Tumour the size of a 'the head of a new-born'

In their book, Calleja and Buttigieg described Gambin as a man who up to the age of 43 enjoyed good health, kept in top shape and trained in body-building.

In March 1980, Gambin underwent abdominal hernia surgery. Months after, he began to feel pain and was diagnosed with a stomach ulcer, which followed another surgery. Yet, the pain remained.

A year later, he began to feel a lump on the left side of his stomach and noticed it growing in size. On June 5, 1981, doctors removed a lump which was described to be the size of "the head of a new-born baby".

The tumour had caused great damage to Gambin’s body, and doctors saw no hope in him healing, giving him a few more days to live.

Upon learning the severity of Gambin’s illness, his uncle, a Franciscan priest, Father Benedict Ellul Mercer began to pray to Nazju Falzon, who he was devoted to.

His uncle visited Gambin, presented him with an image of Nazju Falzon and told him to begin intercessory prayer to Nazju Falzon. Intercession is praying to a saint on behalf of others. 

Gambin began to pray the day after his surgery. A chapter in Calleja and Buttigieg's book quotes Gambin:

“I remember putting the image under my pillow. I did not pray for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin or other Saints of God for my healing.”

He prayed constantly and recited the prayer printed on the back of the image.

A few days after the operation, on June 12, his health had greatly improved and doctors were amazed that he no longer felt any pain.

Anthony Gambin (left) receives a commemorative national team shirt from MFA president Norman Darmanin Demajo.

On June 15, he was released from hospital and able to return to work and continue training. Gambin continued to follow medical check-ups, but doctors found no evidence of the tumour returning and no signs of illness.

17 years later, two medical experts commissioned by the Ecclesiastical Tribunal, Karl German and Anthony Samuel, examined Gambin. They found him to be in good health and radiographic examinations found no signs that the tumour had re-emerged. They were certain that his recovery was complete.

In November 1986, Gambin’s case was presented to Archbishop Joseph Mercieca. In 1987, the Holy See confirmed that Nazju Falzon had lived the theological virtues of faith, hope and love for God, and following a number of consultations, Falzon was named as Venerable on 23 October 1987.

On February 19, 2001, five medical experts who examined Gambin’s healing through the intercession of the Venerable Nazju Falzon stated that the healing was medically unexplainable.

The Congress of Theologians of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints declared on April 3 of that year that Gambin's healing by the intercession of Venerable Nazju Falzon was a miraculous one.

Days later, on April 24, Pope John Paul II signed a decree formally declaring that the healing through the intercession of Nazju Falzon was a miraculous healing.

He also signed the decree for the Beatification of Nazju Falzon and approved this miracle on his visit to Malta on 9 May 2001.