Annabelle Vassallo’s magnetic personality attracted hundreds of people to the Siġġiewi parish church yesterday for her funeral, which she planned as a tribute to the beauty of life.
“We had a prophet of life among us at a time when we are surrounded by a death culture of abortion, euthanasia and drug abuse and a culture of separation where families are breaking up,” Fr Dione Cutajar said during the homily.
“Despite all this, Annabelle sang about life and all that is beautiful and taught us how to be prepared for this day... We call this a funeral and there is a coffin but we are here to celebrate life,” he said, adding she had even planned her own funeral.
Annabelle died in hospital early on Monday morning after a four-year battle with cancer. The 39-year-old from Siġġiewi first entered the nation’s heart with her appearance on television and her autobiography Irrid Ngħix (I want to live) went on to sell thousands of copies. Since then, her faith in Jesus and love for life inspired the whole country.
The Siġġiewi parish church was brimming with people from all over Malta and Gozo who turned up to celebrate Annabelle’s message of hope.
Her neighbour, Catherine Vassallo, 70, said Annabelle’s words had helped her overcome her husband’s death. “She helped me when my husband died as she used to tell me he was up there (in heaven),” Mrs Vassallo said, as she walked into the parish church.
Family friend Jonathan Saliba, 33, of Fgura, said: “Annabelle represented a positive message that life is beautiful no matter the circumstances.”
Peppi Azzopardi, who hosts the popular talk show Xarabank that catapulted Annabelle into the public’s heart, said he had first met her for what was to be a short clip for his programme.
“I ended up listening to her for two hours... What influenced me most about her was that she was a person who rubbed off on people but accepted people for who they were,” he said.
Fr Paul Chetcuti, who knew Annabelle from sixth form where he worked, said she had grown up to be “a modern apostle”.
As he shared a few words at the beginning of the Mass – on Annabelle’s request – Fr Nicholas Cachia recounted an episode, a few days ago, when Annabelle was in hospital surrounded by friends and family. “Suddenly, she realised there were people and said: ‘Wow, all these people are here for me?’ Imagine what she would say today,” he told the crowded church.
He added the great turnout was testimony to the positive force who was Annabelle – “a tsunami of love”.
During the homily, Fr Cutajar referred to the gospel reading Annabelle had picked that spoke about the promise Jesus made to his disciples, that he would prepare a room for them in his father’s heavenly home. Annabelle believed she would move into one of those rooms and then help prepare the rooms for her loved ones.
Despite her illness, she had managed to find a fountain of courage and inspiration in the pain and spent her life making others happy, Fr Cutajar said.
Annabelle had built a personal relationship with Jesus in who she trusted. “When I last spoke to her on Thursday she said she was tired and had told Jesus that. Early Monday morning he took her to that place where there is no chemotherapy but the presence of God,” he said.
Fr Cutajar called on the crowd to take with them Annabelle’s message, which she uttered a few hours before her death: “I rejoice because I’m alive,” he said as a heartfelt applause resonated throughout the church.