Thousands of people have turned up for a vigil and mass in Valletta to mark the second anniversary of the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Mass in suffrage of Daphne was held inside a packed St. Francis Church.
Daphne Caruana Galizia, after years of fighting for the truth alone, is not alone in that fight anymore, Fr. David Cilia said in his homily.
Cilia quoted the Gospel of John; “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds”, saying that these are the words which had come to mind on the second anniversary of Caruana Galizia’s death.
He said that Caruana Galizia had been killed not because she was a woman – a possible swipe at now European Commissioner Helena Dalli, who had described her murder as “femicide” – but because she was not afraid of saying the truth, however uncomfortable it was. “For a long time Daphne used to fight alone, in all our names”, he said.
“Today, two years later, I can see that Daphne is not alone. Her extreme sacrifice shocked and awoke the conscience of many others who understand the need to defend the democratic values of a free society”, he said.
He said that the fact that journalists from across the globe had come together to continue working on her stories and for the protection of journalists is of great courage as it shows that good always wins over bad. “It is this seed which was sown with Daphne’s life and assassination which is already bearing fruit. Daphne is not alone anymore”, he said.
Cilia quoted Pope Francis, who last July called for judges to be independent and be safe from favouritism and from pressures that could contaminate the decisions they have to make, and called for prayers for “the competent authorities recognise to carry out their duty without fear or favour.”
Earlier, a silent gathering was held in Bidnija.
Photos: Alenka Falzon
