On May 9, President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca unveileda bust of Saint George Preca,the only Maltese saint, canonised by Pope Benedict XVI on June 3, 2007.

Running in the list for canonisation are Ignatius (Nazju) Falzon, a cleric, and Maria Adeodata Pisani, an OSB nun, both beatified on May 9, 2001 by Saint Pope John Paul II.

Then we have the Venerables. On February 23, 1910, Saint Pope Pius X declared Adelaide Cini Venerable. The last Maltese to be declared Venerable is Madre Margherita De Brincat on January 27, 2014, by Pope Francis.

Going down the ladder, we have six Servants of God: Mgr Joseph De Piro, founder of the Missionary Society of St Paul, whose diocesan beatification process was concluded by Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Mercieca on January 25, 2003; Eugenio (Gegé) Borg, first superior general of the Society of Christian Doctrine (MUSEUM), whose cause officially started on March 12, 1997, by Mgr Mercieca;

Mgr Isidor Formosa, founder of the Ursuline Sisters Congregation, Malta, whose cause was officially initiated on September 4, 2002, by Mgr Mercieca; Mgr Bishop Emmanuel Galea, a longtime Auxiliary Bishop of Malta; Madre Maria Teresa Nuzzo, foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart.

The initiation of the beatification causes of the last two was announced by Mgr Mercieca on May 2, 2003. There is also Fr Michael Attard, a Gozitan priest whose cause was initiated on August 1, 2012, by Bishop of Gozo Mario Grech.

The cause for the beatification of Fr Nazzareno Camilleri, a Salesian, is under way in Rome.

Detailed information on the process for canonisation can be found in the Vatican document Sanctorum Mater. It can beread online.

Sick persons, especially with an incurable disease, are encouraged to pray to God for their healing through the intercession of a candidate for canonisation.