Nazju Falzon

Nazju Falzon (1 July 1813 – 1 July 1865) was a Maltese cleric and a professed member from the Secular Franciscan Order. He did not become an ordained priest because he did not feel he was adequate enough for such an honor. He became an apt catechist and noted for his commitment to religious instruction.

Falzon's beatification took place in mid-2001 in Malta when Pope John Paul II visited the island nation.

Life

Nazju Falzon was born in Malta in a big house on Strait Street on 1 July 1813 to Francis Joseph Falzon (a judge) and Maria Teresa Debono (the daughter of the judge Calcedonio Debono). Falzon was baptized on 2 July in the church of Porto Salvo in the names of "Rocco Angelo Sebastiano Vincenzo Naju Rosario Falzon".

Beatification The beatification cause opened in an informative process that spanned from 1882 until its closure in 1889. Falzon's writings spiritual writings were approved by theologians on 16 December 1902, and Falzon's cause was formally opened on 13 April 1904 under Pope Pius X, granting him the title of Servant of God. Theologians granted their approval to the cause after meeting on 10 February 1987 while the Congregation for the Causes of Saints did so as well on 6 October 1987. Falzon was named as Venerable on 23 October 1987 after Pope John Paul II confirmed that the late Maltese cleric led a life of heroic virtue.

The process for a miracle took place in the diocese of its origin and concluded on 28 June 1999 before the C.C.S. validated the process on 5 February 2000; a medical board approved this on 19 February 2001 which theologians and the C.C.S. also backed up. John Paul II approved this miracle and beatified Falzon on his visit to Malta on 9 May 2001. The beatification miracle involved the 1981 cure of a man stricken with cancer.

The current postulator for this cause is Fra Giovangiuseppe Califano.