Dun Gorg Preca needs no introduction to locals, having been a much-beloved Catholic priest who eventually became a local saint (literally). Today happens to be the 15th anniversary of his canonization and we’re taking a look back at the events leading up to the momentous day.
Dun Gorg passed away on 26th July 1962 and was given a final farewell two days later which was one of the largest funerals ever to be held on the islands. Despite being gone, locals still referred to the priest’s teachings. And so, began the road (that turned out to be quite a long one) to canonization.
Over a decade after his passing, he was given the title of “Servant of God” in 1975 which kicked off the full diocesan investigation. The process in Malta took over a decade and was concluded in 1988. The title of “Venerable” was then bestowed upon him by Pope John Paul II in 1999 for his “heroic virtue.”
If you think the process is coming to a close, you might want to sit back down because, yes, there’s more. For the local priest to be beatified, something had to happen as a result of his intercession – a kind of miracle, if you will. After much deliberation and investigation, one miracle did occur. Charles Zammit Endirch, who had a detached retina, was apparently healed after one of the late priest's personal belongings was placed under his pillow. His personal physician, Censu Tabone (yes, one of Malta’s former Presidents) was present. The Pope then beatified Dun Gorg on 9th May 2001 during a visit to the Maltese Islands.
The story doesn’t end there, though! ANOTHER miracle was required for Dun Gorg to become a saint! This time, Eric Catania was healed of sickness after his parents placed a glove on him as an infant which was used during Dun Gorg’s exhumation. Eric was meant to undergo major surgery with the hopes of curing his liver decompensation, but thanks to the glove, he didn’t even need the procedure and recovered from his illness.
Dun Gorg was FINALLY canonized as a saint on 3rd June 2007 in St Peter’s Square in Rome. He became Malta’s second saint, following St Publius, and the first-ever Maltese person to do so. In his remarks on the momentous day, the Pope called the now San Gorg Preca “a friend of Jesus.”