Malti
Maltese ( mt, Malti, links=no, also ''L-Ilsien Malti'' or '), is a Semitic language derived from late medieval Sicilian Arabic with Romance superstrata spoken by the Maltese people. It is the national language of Malta and the only offici ...
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 onc ...
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 ...
.
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 th ...
, 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 Alexandri ...
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 on 26 April 1160. The former Diocese of Malta, which is one of the oldest dioceses in the world, was elevated to archdiocese 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 ...
and
Comino
Comino ( mt, Kemmuna) is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, measuring in area. Named after the cumin seed, the island has a permanent population of only two residents and ...
. 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 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 denominations ...
Valletta
Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an administrative unit and capital of Malta. Located on the main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, its population within administrative limits in 2014 ...
.
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 th ...
*5 February - Memorial of St. Agatha of Sicily
*10 February - Solemnity of the Shipwreck of St Paul
*25 February - Memorial of Maria Adeodata Pisani
*9 May - Feast of St. George Preca
*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 ...
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 ...
(1974–1976)
*
Annetto Depasquale
Annetto Depasquale (28 July 1938 – 29 November 2011) was the Roman Catholic titular bishop of Aradi and the auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta, Malta.
Biography
Depasquale was born in Qormi on 28 June 1938 and ...
Joseph Galea-Curmi
Joseph Galea-Curmi (born 1 January 1964, in Balzan, Malta) is a Maltese clergyman and Catholic auxiliary bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
...
(2018–)
See also
*
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 ...
*
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 Stre ...
*
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 ...