Two 20th century giants of Roman Catholicism today become saints during an unprecedented canonisation ceremony attracting more than a million people, including hundreds of Maltese, to Rome. Claudia Calleja and Kim Dalli speak to people who crossed their paths, finding that Pope John XXIII is remembered among the older generation as ‘the good Pope’ and many have vivid memories of Pope John Paul II’s visits in 1990 and 2001.

John Paul II

The First Pope in Malta

When Pope John Paul II visited St Paul’s Grotto, in May 1990, he displayed the “enthusiasm of a child” at being in the place where the saint had lived while in Malta, according to Mgr Philip Calleja who witnessed the event.

“That was the thing that impressed me most. He was lost in prayer at the grotto.

“His forehead made contact with ground and, after some time, he stood up and, like a child, was so enthusiastic to be there,” Mgr Calleja recalls.

Being the Curia’s administrative secretary he was tasked with organising the John Paul II’s 1990 – the first time a Pope ever came to Malta.

The challenge was to take the Pope to as many places as possible and ensure that his visit was “about the people.”

Top on the priority list was taking him to the grotto, in Rabat, and to the shrine of Old Lady of Mellieħa – where he remarked about the “image of Our Lady on Maltese stone”.

The most iconic moment of the visit was when the Pope was aboard the catamaran surrounded by boats. He stopped by St Paul’s Island on his way back to Malta from Gozo.

Charles Buttigieg, who worked at the Curia, witnessed the moment when the Pope stood at the front of the catamaran “lost in prayer”.

When the Pope looked back, then Archbishop Joseph Mercieca tapped at his watch to show him they were on a tight schedule.

The Pope stood up and looked at the bastions but his gaze stopped on all the steeples. It was amazing

Mgr Mercieca also remembers the scene and says that the Pope told him he was touched by the warm welcome he had received in Malta.

He adds that Pope John Paul – who headed the Church for almost 27 years until his death in 2005 – was of great support to him when there was the Church-government crisis and encouraged him to believe that, through prayer, good would triumph.

When the John Paul II died in 2005, Emeritus President Eddie Fenech Adami, who had met him on many occasions, described him as a man of great humility.

According to Dr Fenech Adami, the Pope also played a key role in the fall of the Berlin Wall, which sparked a transformation in Europe.

“The Pope often said he was only doing what was expected of us and wrote that history is made up of what each one of us is called upon to do and his humanity… there is no doubt that he was a saintly figure.”

Mgr Calleja also recalls the John Paul’s human touch as the catamaran entered the Grand Harbour during his 1990 visit.

“The Pope stood up and looked at the bastions but his gaze stopped on all the steeples. It was amazing.”

One of the most touching moments was when hundreds of children gathered outside Apostolic Nunciature in Attard, where the Pope was staying, and sang morning hymns.

He also met some of the mothers of Maltese missionaries.

Young people flocked to the Ta’ Qali stadium where the Pope threw back a ball thrown at him and “his skull-cap almost fell off his head”.

The Pope also visited the newly colourfully-painted St Julian’s parish church. Vincent Vassallo was a member of the choir.

“The memory will remain forever of him turning round and clapping for us,” he says.

Then, of course, there was his visit to Valletta’s St John’s Co-cathedral where, after a ceremony, he met cloister nuns in the oratory.

“When they saw him they lost control. They wanted to lift him up, some stood on chairs,” Mgr Calleja laughs.

Back then Carmel Zammit won a competition to design the official logo of the Pope’s first visit to Malta – forging a bond with the pontiff he carries till today.

A year after John Paul’s death in 2005 Mr Zammit went to Rome as part of a team responsible for the erection of the life-size bronze statue of Pope John Paul II which is now situated between Victoria and Ta’ Pinu.

While there former Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti suggested he should set up a foundation to continue the Pope’s legacy. So he set up the JP2 Foundation.

Today the foundation will hold a Eucharistic celebration next to the national monument of Pope John Paul II in Victoria at 4pm.

John XXIII

The Good Pope

When Paul Cremona was ordained Archbishop in January 2007 he wore a white alb, or robe, that had been worn by Pope John XXIII during his brief papacy between 1958 and 1963.

“The Archbishop was always inspired by Pope John. He was touched by this good nature and simplicity and, in many ways, he is similar to him.

“They called him the Papa Buono (Good Pope) and I think the Archbishop is buono… he was touched by him and even wrote his doctorate thesis on Pope John,” says Fr Charles Tabone, a spokesman for the Curia.

When Mgr Cremona became Archbishop in January 2007, Pope John’s former secretary Francesco Capovilla, now a Cardinal, sent him the white robe which he wore during his ordination.

Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Mercieca told Times of Malta that Pope John was respected as a kind man who gave a lot and would always be remembered for calling the reforming Second Vatican Council.

“He opened up the doors and this will always be appreciated,” Mgr Mercieca says.

Mgr Cremona is in Rome with Gozo Bishop Mario Grech and they will be concelebrating in the Mass being led by Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square today.

The Pope who beatified my son’s saviour

When Joe Azzopardi heard the Pope would be visiting the National Stadium, where he worked, he immediately asked if he could take his nine-month-old son who had just undergone a major operation.

He did not want to miss out on the golden opportunity to take his son to meet “the man who represents God.”

Mr Azzopardi’s son, Edward, was born with a condition called severe combined immunodeficiency which meant his body did not produce white blood cells.

His son needed to bone marrow transplant that took place in the UK.

The family had already lost a child to this condition. Mr Azzopardi’s colleague, Tony Gambin, told him that he had prayed to the priest (now Blessed) Nazju Falzon whose intercession had cured a stomach tumour.

Mr Azzopardi prayed to Falzon and his son survived the operation in February 1990.

It’s a great pleasure that a person I met personally was chosen by God

In May that year the Pope visited the stadium, where he had been working since 1975. Mr Azzopardi met him before the official ceremony.

“He told me to recite the rosary. He gave rosary beads to my son and handed me a badge,” he says.

He was glad when Pope John Paul returned to Malta in 2001 for the beatification of Falzon – who he believes saved his son, now a 24-year-old engineer.

During the 2001 visit Pope John Paul also beatified Dun Gorg Preca, who has since become Malta’s first saint, and Adeodata Pisani.

Now that Pope John Paul is being declared a saint, he said: “It’s a great pleasure that a person I met personally was chosen by God.”

Devoted to John Paul II

Marlene Galea turned to Pope John Paul II in fervent prayer when her brother suddenly fell ill with severe pancreatitis back in 2011 – and he was cured.

“It wasn’t a miracle, but for us it was,” Ms Galea, 66, says.

Her brother Joe, 76, developed severe acute pancreatitis and was taken to hospital on March 27, 2011.

He was discharged in May after spending several weeks in the intensive therapy unit where he responded well to penicillin, to which doctors had previously told him he was allergic.

However in July, he was re-admitted into hospital, suffering from a pseudocyst and, the following month, he was scheduled to undergo a major operation.

Ms Galea and Mr Galea’s wife, Pauline, turned to Pope John Paul II in prayer. The operation was a success. Ms Galea has been a devotee of the pontiff for a long time.

She vividly remembers the time he was appointed Pope and often sent him birthday cards. She even sent him a Get Well Soon card at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome after he was shot on May 13, 1981.

“I was thrilled when I heard about his canonisation. He is truly a saint.

“I feel he interceded a lot on our behalf.”