Chants of “Mintoff, Mintoff” reverberated through St John’s Co-Cathedral as the coffin of former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff was carried into the church, in an unconventional outbreak of spontaneous adulation.
His two daughters, Anne McKenna and Yana Mintoff Bland, stood solemnly in the front pew as their children Emma Packard, and Ċetta and Daniel Mainwaring, held hands, comforting each other throughout the yesterday’s state funeral.
The aisles of St John’s started filling up well before 9 a.m. for the 10.30 Mass, while bouquets of flowers kept pouring in, lining the altar and sweetening the stifling August air.
Archbishop Paul Cremona, who led the congregation with Gozo Bishop Mario Grech, started his homily by highlighting the past week’s extensive media coverage on Mr Mintoff, and “rightly so” as this was a man who for more than 50 years was a protagonist in the island’s social and political life.
“Who knows how much more has yet to be written about the man,” Mgr Cremona said, adding that homilies of funeral Masses should not be eulogies; there were other places for that.
Instead he homed in on two characteristics linked to Mr Mintoff’s life that could serve as a Christian lesson. The first was Mr Mintoff’s interpretation of the commandment to love thy neighbour.
“Although not everybody can agree with his methods, we can safely say that Jesus’ commandment was tied in with his political plan: to improve conditions for workers and the poor,” he said.
The second was Mr Mintoff’s love for his homeland; a virtue that drove him to fight to secure the best for Malta during his negotiations with other countries, Mgr Cremona said closing his homily to spontaneous applause.
Pope Benedict XVI also sent his condolences and a message was read out assuring the President and those present of his prayers for the deceased and invoking God’s blessing.
Mr Mintoff’s siblings Raymond and Mary Grech were chosen to read the bidding prayers, together with his friends Fr Mark Montebello, Fr Gordon Refalo and Rose Buttigieg.
However, it was Ms Mintoff Bland’s prayer that garnered applause after she prayed that people would appreciate the good work carried out by her father for their well-being.
The church was brimming with dignitaries, Mr Mintoff’s close friends, among them former Drydocks chairman Sammy Meilaq, and people from all walks of life, including two notorious thugs from the pre-1987 era of political violence – Anthony Carabott (it-Toto) and Edwin Bartolo (il-Qaħbu).
Mr Mintoff’s family was joined in mourning by President George Abela, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, opposition leader Joseph Muscat, Emeritus Presidents Eddie Fenech Adami and Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, the widow of Emeritus President Guido de Marco – Violet, the judiciary, the Speaker, ministers and MPs, representatives of the political parties, and other dignitaries.
Former Labour leader Alfred Sant, who had accused Mr Mintoff of betraying the party after causing the collapse of his government in 1998, was not at the funeral.
Nor was the then deputy leader, George Vella.
As Mass drew to an end, Mr Mintoff’s coffin was carried out by army pall bearers to another rousing applause and shouts of “salvatur” (saviour) from the hundreds of admirers who braved the heat outside in the streets.