Diocese of Gozo
| Diocese of Gozo Dioecesis Gaudisiensis Djoċesi ta' Għawdex | |
|---|---|
| File:CoA Diocese of Gozo.png | |
| Location | |
| Country | Malta Gozo |
| Territory | Gozo and Comino |
| Ecclesiastical province | Malta |
| Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Malta |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 67 km2 (26 sq mi) |
| Population Total Catholics |
(as of 2023) 37,392 34,656 (92.7%) |
| Parishes | 15 |
| Churches | 48 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 22 September 1864 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of the Assumption |
| Patron saint | Saint George Saint Ursula |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Bishop | Anton Teuma |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Charles Scicluna |
| Vicar General | Mgr. Giovanni Curmi |
| Judicial Vicar | Mgr. Joe Zammit |
| Bishops emeritus | Mario Cardinal Grech |
| Map | |
| The Diocese of Gozo marked in red. | |
| Website | |
| gozodiocese.org | |
The Diocese of Gozo (Latin: Dioecesis Goulos-Gaudisiensis; Maltese: Djoċesi ta' Għawdex)[1] is a Latin 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 state.
The diocese comprises the island of Gozo (seventeen miles west of the Maltese capital Valletta) and the islet of Comino.[2]
History
Information regarding the origins of the first formal Christian communities in Gozo is lost to time. The oldest of the active parish churches in Gozo are those of Victoria: the Cathedral of the Assumption and the Basilica of St George. Which of these two is the oldest is not quite clear and often disputed. However both probably originated during the Byzantine occupation of Gozo.
Up till the year 1864, Gozo formed part of the then Roman Catholic Diocese of Malta, but Pope Pius IX, acceding to requests by the clergy and the people, erected it into a separate, then exempt diocese, i.e. immediately subject to the Holy See. On 16 March 1863, Michael Franciscus Buttigieg, a native of Gozo, was appointed titular Bishop of Lita and deputy auxiliary of the Archbishop-Bishop of Malta, for the Island of Gozo. He was consecrated at Rome on 3 May of the same year, on 22 September 1864, was created first bishop of the new Diocese of Gozo, and on the 23rd day of the following month made his entry into the new cathedral. Through the efforts of Pietro Pace, vicar-general of the diocese, a diocesan seminary was established on the site formerly occupied by the San Giuliano Hospital, the revenues of which were appropriated to the new institution. This seminary was inaugurated 3 November 1866, and by the express desire of Pius IX placed under the direction of the Jesuits.
On the death of Buttigieg, Paolo Micallef, Superior General of the Augustinian Order, was made Bishop of Città di Castello and appointed administrator of the Diocese of Gozo. He left Gozo in May, 1867, and in 1871 became Archbishop of Pisa. His successor to the administration of the diocese was Antonius Grech Delicata Testaferrata, titular Bishop of Chalcedon, a native of Malta, who in 1868 was appointed Bishop of Gozo, and as such assisted at the First Vatican Council. Grech Delicata's divested himself of his own patrimony in favour of the poor; he died on the last day of 1876.
On 12 March 1877, Pietro Pace, native of Gozo, was appointed to succeed Grech Delicata, and was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Edward Henry Howard. Under his administration the seminary was augmented by the installation of a meteorological observatory, which was inaugurated by Padre Denza, director of the Vatican Observatory. During this administration an episcopal educational institute for girls was also established, under the care of the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul, to whom was also entrusted the direction of the annexed orphan asylum. The same bishop provided the diocese with a new episcopal palace and new monasteries, besides laying out large sums of money on the cathedral.
In 1889 Pace was promoted Archbishop of Rhodes and Bishop of Malta. His successor in the See of Gozo was G. M. Camilleri, a native of Valletta (b. 15 March 1842). Under Camilleri's administration the first diocesan synod was celebrated, in October, 1903. This synod was necessary as the diocese was still governed under the outdated rules of the Synod of Malta of 1703. Constitutions and decrees were also promulgated and published.
In May 1990, it was visited by Pope John Paul II.
Bishops of Gozo
| Name | from | to | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Franciscus Buttigieg (1864-1866) | 1864 | 1866 | |
| Paolo Micallef, Administrator of Gozo | 1866 | 1867 | Administrator of Gozo | |
| 2 | Antonius Grech Delicata Testaferrata | 1868 | 1876 | |
| 3 | Pietro Pace | 1877 | 1889 | Became Bishop of Malta |
| 4 | Giovanni Maria Camilleri | 1889 | 1924 | |
| 5 | Mikiel Gonzi (1924-1943) | 1924 | 1943 | Became Coadjutor Bishop of Malta, Bishop of Malta, and subsequently Metropolitan Archbishop of Malta |
| 6 | Giuseppe Pace | 1944 | 1972 | |
| Nikol Joseph Cauchi, Administrator of Gozo | 1967 | 1972 | Administrator of Gozo | |
| 7 | Nikol Joseph Cauchi | 1972 | 2006 | |
| 8 | Mario Grech | 2006 | 2019 | Became Pro-secretary of the Synod of Bishops |
| Mario Grech | 2019 | 2020 | Administrator of Gozo | |
| 9 | Anton Teuma | 2020 | - |
Special churches
- Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Victoria - The cathedral church of Gozo was built in 1697–1703, by Lorenzo Gafa. Its ground plan is in the form of a Latin cross. The cathedral is also the annual pilgrimage site of the Grand Priory of the Mediterranean of the Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem. Its interior is adorned with fine paintings. The "Messagiere di Maria", an Italian periodical, is recognized in the Diocese of Gozo as the official organ of the sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu.
- Basilica and Collegiate Parish of St George in Victoria
- Rotunda of Xewkija in Xewkija
- Basilica and National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu in Għarb
- Basilica and Collegiate Parish of the Visitation in Għarb
- Basilica and Collegiate Parish of St Peter and St Paul in Nadur
- Basilica and Collegiate Parish of the Nativity of Mary in Xagħra
Important dates
- 23 April: Memorial of St George - Patron Saint of the Diocese
- 22 June: Feast of the Blessed Virgin of Ta' Pinu
- 15 August: Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary - Patroness of the Maltese Archipelago and of the Gozo Diocese
- 16 September: Anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese
- 11 October: Dedication of the Diocesan Cathedral
- 21 October: Memorial of Saint Ursula - Patron Saint of the Diocese
Parishes
| Parish | Location | Date established |
|---|---|---|
| Saint George's | Victoria | pre-1250 |
| Parish of the Cathedral of the Assumption, Gozo | Victoria | pre-1241 |
| Sacred Heart of Jesus | Fontana | 27 March 1911 |
| Our Lady of Loreto | Għajnsielem | 26 January 1855 |
| Parish of the Visitation of Our Lady | Għarb | 29 August 1679 |
| Corpus Christi Parish | Għasri | 16 December 1921 |
| Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and St Gregory the Great | Kerċem | 10 March 1885 |
| Parish of Saint Paul's Shipwreck | Munxar | 12 December 1957 |
| Parish of Saint Peter and Saint Paul | Nadur | 28 April 1688 |
| Parish of the Immaculate Conception and Saint Joseph | Qala | 3 February 1872 |
| Saint Laurence's | San Lawrenz | 15 March 1893 |
| Saint Margaret's | Sannat | 28 April 1688 |
| Parish of the Nativity of Our Lady | Xagħra | 28 April 1688 |
| Parish of Saint John the Baptist | Xewkija | 27 November 1678 |
| Parish of the Assumption of Mary | Żebbuġ, Gozo | 28 April 1688 |
Sources and external links
See also
- Culture of Malta
- History of Malta
- List of Churches in Malta
- List of monasteries and convents in Malta
- Religion in Malta
36°02′47″N 14°14′23″E / 36.04639°N 14.23972°E
Canonical status and jurisdiction
Roman Catholic Diocese of Gozo is a diocese of the catholic church of the Catholic Church.[3]
- Part of: Ecclesiastical Province of Malta
External links
From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Gozo (Goulos-Gaudisiensis), comprises the Island of Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea (seventeen miles west of the harbour of Valetta, Malta) and islet of Comino, and has a population of 22,700 souls. It is more picturesque than the sister island of Malta, and the country, covered as it is with conical hills, is more fertile in its plains and valleys. On a central plateau the ruined fortifications of an ancient town contain the cathedral church and public buildings, outside of which is a large suburb. Gozo is famed for its grotto of Calypso, at a little distance from which are the ruins of a Cyclopean temple, a most conspicuous monument of antiquity.
Up to the year 1864, Gozo formed part of the Diocese of Malta, but Pius IX, acceding to the repeated prayer of the clergy and the people, erected it into a separate diocese immediately subject to the Holy See. On 16 March, 1863, Monsignor Francesco Michele Butigieg, a native of Gozo, was appointed titular Bishop of Lita and deputy auxiliary of the Archbishop-Bishop of Malta, for the Island of Gozo. He was consecrated at Rome on 3 May of the same year, on 22 September, 1864, was created first bishop of the new Diocese of Gozo, and on the 23rd day of the following month made his solemn entry into the new cathedral. Through the efforts of Mgr. Pietro Pace, who was then vicar-general of the diocese (now Archbishop of Rhodes and Bishop of Malta), a diocesan seminary was established on the site formerly occupied by the San Giuliano Hospital, the revenues of which were appropriated to the new institution. This seminary was inaugurated 3 November, 1866, and, by the express desire of Pope Pius IX, was placed under the direction of the Jesuits. On the death of Mgr. Butigieg, Father Micallef, Superior General of the Augustinian Order, was made Bishop of Città di Castello and appointed administrator of the Diocese of Gozo. He left Gozo in May, 1867, and in 1871 became Archbishop of Pisa. His successor to the administration of the diocese was Mgr. Antonio Grech Delicata, titular Bishop of Chalcedon, a native of Malta, who, in 1868, was appointed Bishop of Gozo, and as such assisted at the Vatican Council. Mgr. Grech Delicata's charity towards the poor went so far that he even divested himself of his own patrimony. This worthy prelate died on the last day of the year 1876.
On 12 March, 1877, Mgr. Canon Professor Pietro Pace, native of Gozo, was appointed to succeed Mgr. Grech Delicata, and was consecrated at Rome by Cardinal Howard. Under his administration the seminary was augmented by the installation of a meteorological observatory, which was inaugurated by the celebrated Padre Denza, Director of the Vatican Observatory. During this administration an episcopal educational institute for girls was also established, under the care of the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul, to whom was also entrusted the direction of the annexed orphan asylum. The same bishop provided the diocese with a new episcopal palace and new monasteries, besides laying out large sums of money on the cathedral. In 1889, Mgr. Pace was promoted Archbishop of Rhodes and Bishop of Malta. His successor in the See of Gozo (and actual bishop) is the Reverend G. M. Camilleri, O.S.A., a native of Valetta (b. 15 March, 1842). Under Mgr. Camilleri's administration the first diocesan synod was celebrated, in October, 1903. This synod was of absolute necessity, as the diocese was still governed under the rules of the Synod of Malta of 1703, and consequently lacked a safe guide adapted to the times. Constitutions and decrees were also promulgated and published which gave new life to the working of the diocese.
The cathedral church of Gozo was built in 1697-1703, by Lorenzo Gafa. Its ground plan is in the form of a Latin cross. Its interior is adorned with fine paintings. The "Massagiere di Maria", an Italian periodical, is recognized in the Diocese of Gozo as the official organ of the sanctuary of the Bl. Virgin ta Pinu.
Ferris, Ecclesiastical History of Malta (1877); Idem, Description of the Churches of Malta and Gozo (1866); Const. et Decret. Synod. Gaud. primae (Malta, 1904).
References
- Back to citation Diocese of Gozo - from Catholic Hierarchy
- Back to citation Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Gozo". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- Back to citation Roman Catholic Diocese of Gozo, official website