The Prime Minister's mother, Ines Gonzi, 86, died suddenly in the early hours of yesterday at her home in Valletta.

Mrs Gonzi and her husband, Luigi, had four children - Margaret, a nun at the Convent of the Good Shepherd, Lawrence, the Prime Minister, and twins Nationalist MP Michael Gonzi and Paulanne.

A former neighbour of Mrs Gonzi described her as "an exemplary woman whose quiet, unassuming countenance spoke volumes about her character", in a message on timesofmalta.com.

In an interview which appeared on a Nationalist Party commemorative publication marking Dr Gonzi's first year as Prime Minister, Mrs Gonzi spoke frankly about her strong faith and her son's life.

"For me praying is important. And he (Dr Gonzi) knows it. When things are difficult, even Kate (Dr Gonzi's wife) tells him 'mum is praying for you'."

Mrs Gonzi's funeral will be held today at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Valletta.

Messages of condolence were sent by a number of organisations. Opposition leader Joseph Muscat contacted Dr Gonzi yesterday morning to express his condolences, while Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola said the gap left in a person's life by the loss of his mother, could never be filled.

The General Workers' Union, Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, the Christian Democrat Students and Azzjoni Nazzjonali also expressed their condolences to the Prime Minister and his family.

Other than expressing their condolences and solidarity with the family, the Nationalist Party late yesterday said Mrs Gonzi was an example to her children and left an impact on community service.

The House of Representatives last night also paid tribute to Mrs Gonzi.

Leader of the House Tonio Borg said that he remembered her for her sense of prudence and humility, notwithstanding the fact that one of her sons was the Prime Minister and the other was an MP.

Dr Muscat said that when he spoke to the Prime Minister earlier in the day he felt the great sense of loss that the family was passing through.

Speaker Louis Galea joined the government and the opposition in expressing his condolences. He said that having spent much of his youth with the Prime Minister, he knew Mrs Gonzi well and admired her for the way she cared for the family.

A groundbreaking ceremony of phase one of Smart City, planned for this morning, was postponed to a later date.