Solidarity and forgiveness should be at the forefront of the New Year’s Day tragedy, Fr Charles Tabone urged yesterday during the funeral Mass of Duncan Zammit who was stabbed to death in his Sliema penthouse.

In the absence of forgiveness... anger eats into the heart, choking it of love and holding it back from flourishing

The coffin of the 32-year-old husband and father lay at the foot of the altar at Nazzarenu church, Sliema, which was carpeted with flowers brought in by his family and friends.

Hundreds packed the church with many mourners spilling into the road outside, all wanting to pay their last respects to a man described by Fr Charles as a “kind-hearted, loving person, whose smile exposed his big heart”.

Fr Charles had celebrated the wedding Mass of the couple on May 3, 2008.

Duncan’s widow, Claire Zammit Xuereb, looked on distraught, alongside her family and in-laws who are still grappling with their loved one’s untimely death.

Not far from Ms Zammit Xuereb’s view, on the side, was a double buggy holding their three-month-old twins, Jack and Millie.

According to relatives, the young mother is too scared to entrust what is left of her family with anyone or even let them out of her sight.

Contrary to reports by the family that she would speak during the funeral, Ms Zammit Xuereb remained silent; the pain and anguish of what she witnessed and the loss of her husband stamped on her face.

Her husband of nearly four years was killed in mysterious circumstances around 6.30 a.m. on New Year’s Day after getting entangled in a violent knife fight with Nicholas Gera, 26, that left both men dead in the couple’s apartment in High Street.

Fr Charles, after reading the gospel of St John that is normally read out on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, extracted the symbolical similarities between the death of Jesus at the Calvary and these two young men.

The same way Our Lady grieved at the foot of her son’s cross, comforted by her sister and Jesus’ beloved disciple, so too, he said, were the loved ones and friends of Mr Zammit weeping at the foot of his cross.

Fr Charles urged the congregation not to forget the mother, siblings and friends of Mr Gera who too were bearing their own cross of torment.

The story of the Calvary, he said, where Jesus was nailed to a cross at the age of 33, unfolded in the public domain and his death sparked a huge commotion.

Many, from high priests to Pharisees and passers-by, gave their own interpretation of what happened, feeding speculation and spreading rumours and curiosities.

The same had happened in this tragedy and Fr Charles called on everyone to shift the focus away from speculation and on to the anguished families by letting sentiments of solidarity dominate.

“We’re a people renowned for our solidarity... a people who can be relied on in trying moments.

Let us unite and offer the families comfort... and in these occasions let us use the internet to send messages to the families of Duncan and Nicholas to show them we are sharing in their grief,” Fr Charles said .

There was one important thing that could not remain absent in this situation – forgiveness.

“We have to forgive. In the absence of forgiveness, there will be anger that leaves us stuck in the past.

“Anger eats into the heart, choking it of love and holding it back from flourishing. And what sense does life have without love?”

Forgiveness freed the person and presented a life of hope for the future, he added.

Moving on to speak about Mr Zammit, Fr Charles celebrated the life of the young man who had a big heart that loved everyone.

“I remember Duncan always smiling. I used to tell him he was a constant entertainer,”he said.

“He was positive and trusting. Who knows how many times he was cheated because he was so trusting. He only saw the good and was always trying to ensure he didn’t hurt anyone.”

He described Mr Zammit as an exemplary father, who when their twins were born took the decision to take parental leave with his wife to spend with their babies.

“Duncan lived for others. He was a good family man and he shared in the household responsibilities and those of the children, playing with them and washing them,” Fr Charles said.

He spoke of how Mr Zammit, who ran a taxi company, sent his employees home on New Year’s Eve to be with their families, even though the festive season was one of the busiest.

He also appealed to Mr Zammit’s friends and young people to appreciate and understand the value of life and care for it.

“Duncan tried to make life beautiful. He wouldn’t have wanted life to stop here for his loved ones. Let us make of life something that lasts.”