St Peter’s Basilica was packed to the rafters yesterday, as a splendid Vatican ceremony saw Augustinian theologian Prospero Grech become only the second Maltese to be elevated to the rank of cardinal.

The most beautiful thing we have in Malta is the faith given to us by St Paul. Keep hold of that, cardinal or no cardinal- Cardinal Prospero

Along with another 21 men from across the globe, the Vittoriosa renowned ecclesiastical scholar solemnly knelt before Pope Benedict XVI as he received his cardinal’s hat (biretta) and square cap (zucchetto). But once the pontiff had conferred him his ring, the two shared a brief embrace before breaking into broad smiles and exchanging greetings.

Cardinal Prospero, as he will now be known, is the first Maltese cardinal in almost 170 years. His appointment to the College of Cardinals has been met with delight by many Maltese faithful – something which was lost on the new cardinal, a discreet man with little time for ceremonial pomp.

“The Maltese are happy that they have a cardinal – perhaps happier than I am,” he told The Sunday Times immediately after the ceremony. His message to his compatriots was clear: “The most beautiful thing we have in Malta is the faith given to us by St Paul. Keep hold of that, cardinal or no cardinal.”

Those lucky enough to get a ticket to yesterday’s ceremony had to brave the early morning cold, with queues of the faithful already snaking around St Peter’s Square at 7 a.m.

Inside the basilica, ushers led people to empty seats in an anxious attempt to keep to the tight time frame. A Franciscan priest sat inside a confessional box, waiting for people to offer him their sins – provided they came in Italian or Spanish.

An angelic choir was suddenly sliced through by the groan of a church organ. Swiss guards, in full uniform and wearing their rooster-like helmets, stood upright as the 22 cardinals-elect appeared in the basilica.

As they entered, the throngs of people took on the semblance of a music concert, with people holding their cameras and phones aloft in a sea of LCD screens punctured by strobe-like flashes.

Reporters were the last people allowed in. With no designated seating area, they scurried across the back pews, trying to find a vantage point from which to watch the ceremony. Most gave up, flipped open their laptops and followed events using the Vatican’s live online stream.

Pope Benedict used his homily to remind the new cardinals of their responsibilities as Princes of the Catholic Church, and urged them to remain humble. “It is not easy to enter into the logic of the gospel and to let go of power and glory,” he told them.

The cardinals-elect, ringed around the Pope, listened attentively. Behind them, the College of Cardinals painted the front of the Basilica red in a sea of scarlet.

Cardinal Prospero’s nearest and dearest were all present, some inside and others out, with over 150 Maltese having made the trip to Rome to share this historic moment.

A number of Maltese dignitaries were also present. Archbishop Paul Cremona reminisced about the first couple of times he had met Cardinal Prospero and said each of the newly-appointed cardinals had toiled long and hard to reach this point.

Gozo Bishop Mario Grech was moved by the cosmopolitan nature of the ceremony – there were 11 different countries represented among the 22 cardinals – and made reference to the universality of the Church.

President George Abela expressed the hope that Malta’s second-ever cardinal would pave the way for others to follow, “perhaps next time even one with a vote”. As an octogenarian, Cardinal Prospero will play no part in any eventual conclave to elect the next Pope.

The cardinal is expected to return to his academic life once the hubbub surrounding his clerical promotion has died down. But there was little chance of normality being restored yesterday: following a brief lunch and rest, he and the other new cardinals spent two hours meeting with the public.

Cardinal Prospero’s much-esteemed theological work, widely known withinclerical circles, has already ensured his name will go down in the Church’s history books.

But as dozens of Maltese scuttled to follow his every footstep yesterday, it was hard to shrug off the sensation that, within Maltese hearts and minds, his star will now shine that little bit brighter.