On September 4th, the ninth centenary of the death of Blessed Gerard, founder and first Grand Master of the Order of Malta, was celebrated in Scala with a series of religious, institutional and cultural events attended by Fra’ Marco Luzzago, Lieutenant of the Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, accompanied by H.E. Ambassador Zanardi Landi and a delegation of the Order.

In the Cathedral of Scala, Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi, special delegate of the Holy Father for the Sovereign Order of Malta, presided over the solemn Mass.
During the homily, the Cardinal announced that he will ask Pope Francis ‘to consider the Canonization of Blessed Gerard.’ ‘It would be nice – said Cardinal Tomasi – that Pope Francis, who has already made saints by equivalence, that is, without needing to wait for a miracle but basing himself on popular faith, could do the same thing for Blessed Gerardo’.