Malti
Maltese ( mt, Malti, links=no, also ''L-Ilsien Malti'' or ''Il-Lingwa Maltija''), is a Semitic languages, Semitic language derived from Siculo-Arabic, late medieval Sicilian Arabic with Romance languages, Romance Stratum (linguistics), superstra ...
: ''Arċidjoċesi ta' Malta'') is a
metropolitan archdiocese
A metropolis religious jurisdiction, or a metropolitan archdiocese, is an episcopal see whose bishop is the metropolitan bishop or archbishop of an ecclesiastical province. Metropolises, historically, have been important cities in their provinces.
...
of the
Latin Rite
Latin liturgical rites, or Western liturgical rites, are Catholic rites of public worship employed by the Latin Church, the largest particular church ''sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church, that originated in Europe where the Latin language once ...
of the
Catholic Church in Malta
The Archdiocese of Malta (Malti: ''Arċidjoċesi ta' Malta'') is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in Malta.
History
Tradition claims that St. Paul the Apostle established the diocese of Malta in the year 60 A. ...
.
History
Tradition claims that St.
Paul the Apostle
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
established the diocese of Malta in the year 60 A.D when he ordained the Roman governor,
Saint Publius
Saint Publius ( mt, San Publju; grc-gre, Πούπλιος) is a first century Maltese bishop. He is venerated as the first Bishop of Malta and one of the first Bishops of Athens.
Publius is Malta's first acknowledged saint, the prince of the ...
, as the first bishop of Malta.
The Diocese of Malta was made a
suffragan diocese
A suffragan diocese is one of the dioceses other than the metropolitan archdiocese that constitute an ecclesiastical province. It exists in some Christian denominations, in particular the Catholic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria ...
to the Metropolitan
Archdiocese of Palermo
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palermo ( la, Archidioecesis Panormitana) was founded as the Diocese of Palermo in the first century and raised to the status of archdiocese in the 11th century.Papal Bull of
Pope Adrian IV
Pope Adrian IV ( la, Adrianus IV; born Nicholas Breakspear (or Brekespear); 1 September 1159, also Hadrian IV), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 4 December 1154 to his death in 1159. He is the only Englishman t ...
on 10 July 1156 and confirmed by
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III (c. 1100/1105 – 30 August 1181), born Roland ( it, Rolando), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 September 1159 until his death in 1181.
A native of Siena, Alexander became pope after a con ...
on 26 April 1160. The former Diocese of Malta, which is one of the oldest dioceses in the world, was elevated to
archdiocese
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
on January 1, 1944. The Diocese of Malta included the islands of Malta,
Gozo
Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After t ...
and
Comino
Comino ( mt, Kemmuna) is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of ...
. On September 22, 1864, the diocese lost the territories of Gozo and Comino when
Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
established the
Diocese of Gozo
The Diocese of Gozo ( la, Dioecesis Goulos-Gaudisiensis) is a Latin bishopric (diocese) of the Catholic Church in Malta, and the only suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Malta, together covering the insular ...
which became a suffragan diocese to Malta.
Cathedrals
There are two
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
Mdina
Mdina ( mt, L-Imdina ; phn, 𐤌𐤋𐤈, Maleṭ; grc, Μελίττη, Melite (ancient city), Melíttē; ar, مدينة, Madīnah; ), also known by its Italian-language titles ("Old City") and ("Notable City"), is a fortifications of Mdin ...
Valletta
Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and capital city, capital of Malta. Located on the Malta (island), main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, i ...
.
Important dates
*22 January (previously 21 January) - Memorial of
Saint Publius
Saint Publius ( mt, San Publju; grc-gre, Πούπλιος) is a first century Maltese bishop. He is venerated as the first Bishop of Malta and one of the first Bishops of Athens.
Publius is Malta's first acknowledged saint, the prince of the ...
*5 February - Memorial of St.
Agatha of Sicily
Agatha of Sicily () is a Christian saint. Her feast is on 5 February. Agatha was born in Catania, part of the Roman Province of Sicily, and was martyred . She is one of several virgin martyrs who are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mas ...
*10 February - Solemnity of the Shipwreck of St Paul
*25 February - Memorial of
Maria Adeodata Pisani
Maria Adeodata Pisani (29 December 180625 February 1855) was a Maltese nun whom Pope John Paul II venerated 24 April 2001 (decree of heroic virtues) and beatified 9 May 2001.
The day after John Paul II signed and released the decree on both her ...
*9 May - Feast of St.
George Preca
George Preca (in mt, Ġorġ Preca) (12 February 1880 – 26 July 1962) was a Maltese Catholic priest and the founder of the Society of Christian Doctrine as well as a Third Order Carmelite. He is known as "Dun Ġorġ" in Maltese and Pope John ...
*1 July - Memorial of
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 cate ...
The flag is a bicolour consisting of yellow on left and white on the right. It is a 2:3 ratio; the same as the Maltese flag.
Suffragan
*
Diocese of Gozo
The Diocese of Gozo ( la, Dioecesis Goulos-Gaudisiensis) is a Latin bishopric (diocese) of the Catholic Church in Malta, and the only suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Malta, together covering the insular ...
Michael Franciscus Buttigieg
Michael Franciscus Buttigieg (3 November 1793 – 12 July 1866) was a Maltese prelate who became the first Bishop of Gozo in 1864.
Buttigieg was born on November 3, 1793 in Qala, Gozo, Malta and baptized in St Peter and St Paul parish churc ...
(1863–1864)
*
Salvatore Gaffiero
Salvatore Gaffiero (8 March 1828 - 8 December 1906) was a Maltese prelate who served as Auxiliary Bishop of Malta from 1899 until his death in 1906.
Early days
Gaffiero was born in Senglea, Malta to Salvatore Gaffiero and Concetta Cachia. At th ...
Emanuele Gerada
Emanuele Gerada KC*HS (18 May 1920 – 21 January 2011) was a Maltese prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, a Vatican diplomat and titular Archbishop of Nomentum. One Maltese obituary recalled him as "a generous, well-read and intelligent man. ...
(1967–1968)
*
Joseph Mercieca
Joseph Mercieca ( mt, Ġużeppi Mercieca, 11 November 1928 – 21 March 2016) was a Maltese prelate who served as the second Archbishop of Malta from 1976 to 2006. He is credited with restoring stability in the Maltese church following the dispu ...
Charles J. Scicluna
Charles Jude Scicluna (born 15 May 1959) is a Canadian-Maltese prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been the Archbishop of Malta since 2015. He held positions in the Roman Curia from 1995 to 2012, when he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop o ...
Culture of Malta
The culture of Malta reflects various societies that have come into contact with the Maltese Islands throughout the centuries, including neighbouring Mediterranean cultures, and the cultures of the nations that ruled Malta for long periods of ti ...
*
History of Malta
Malta has a long history and was first inhabited in around 5900 BC. The first inhabitants were farmers, and their agricultural methods degraded the soil until the islands became uninhabitable. The islands were repopulated around 3850 BC ...
List of monasteries and convents in Malta
This is a list of monasteries and convents in Malta and Gozo:
*De La Salle Brothers (Freres), with their monastery at Cottonera Road, Birgu
*Little Sisters of the Poor (Sorijiet iż-Żgħar tal-Foqra), with their monastery at Little Sisters Stree ...
*
Religion in Malta
The Catholic branch of Christianity is the predominant religion in Malta. The Constitution of Malta establishes Catholicism as the state religion, and it is also reflected in various elements of Maltese culture; however, in recent years the ...
Further reading
* Outline of Maltese History 1971 AC. Aquilina & Co; Appendix III.
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...