More than 1500 mourners packed Malta's largest church for the funeral of investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia as several hundred more spilled out into the square outside.
The church in Mosta was near Caruana Galizia's village, where she was killed by a car bomb as she drove away from home on October 16.
Malta observed a national day of mourning on Friday as Archbishop Charles Scicluna, who celebrated the funeral Mass, warned Caruana Galizia's killers they "would never escape the justice of God" and urged her fellow journalists to pursue truth without fear.
Today's headlines
House of Cards mulls killing off Frank Underwood
Mourners included her husband, three adult sons and European parliament president Antonio Tajani, while top Maltese government and opposition figures stayed away in deference to the wishes of Caruana Galizia's family.
The family has been vocal in its criticism of the government for its failure to root out the kind of corruption that Caruana Galizia covered in her blog, Running Commentary, which was a must-read in the small island nation.
Investigators have yet to make arrests or announce breakthroughs in the case, but Scicluna told Caruana Galizia's killers to "repent before it is too late".
"Whoever took part, in one way or another, in Daphne's murder, I have this to tell you: however hard you try to evade from the justice of men, you will never escape from the justice of God," he said.
Addressing her fellow journalists, the archbishop said, "Do not be afraid.
Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Maltese investigative journalist who exposed her island nation's links with the so-called Panama Papers. Source: AAP
"I encourage you never to grow weary in your mission to be the eyes, the ears, and the mouth of the people. Do this without fear and with full respect of the truth," Scicluna said.
As Caruana Galizia's coffin was driven away from the church, the crowd broke out singing the Maltese national anthem
In Brussels, the flag at European Commission headquarters flew at half-mast in Caruana Galizia's memory. The commission issued a statement condemning "this brutal attack" that killed her.
"The right of a journalist to investigate, ask uncomfortable questions and report effectively, is at the heart of our values and needs to be guaranteed at all times," the statement said.
Malta's government has offered a 1 million euro ($1.18 million) reward for information leading to those responsible for the killing and full protection for anyone stepping forward.
The journalist's family has refused to endorse the reward, calling instead for Muscat's resignation for "failing to uphold our fundamental freedoms" by not rooting out corruption.
