Archbishop Scicluna To Commemorate 1st Anniversary of Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona’s Passing

To mark the first anniversary of the passing of the Archbishop Emeritus of Malta, Mgr Paul Cremona OP, Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna will preside over a Requiem Mass on March 18, 2026, at 6:30pm.

The mass will be held at the Church of Our Lady of the Grotto in Rabat, where the remains of Mgr Cremona are interred. Following the liturgy, the Archbishop, accompanied by the Provincial, Fr Vince Micallef OP, will inaugurate a permanent exhibition celebrating the life of the late Archbishop.

The exhibition will be hosted within the museum of the Dominican Priory, situated in one its halls.

Mgr Cremona was born in Valletta on January 26, 1946, and was baptized at the Dominican Parish of Our Lady of Porto Salvo. His lifelong journey with the Dominican Order began in 1962 and he received his formation at the Priory of Our Lady of the Grotto in Rabat, a place that remained central to his life.

Throughout his years of service, he held various roles including teacher, Prior, Master of Students, and Provincial.

In December 2006, while serving as Parish Priest of Jesus of Nazareth in Tas-Sliema, he was nominated by Pope Benedict XVI as the Archbishop of Malta. He was consecrated by Mgr Joseph Mercieca on January 26, 2007, at St. John’s Co-Cathedral. Mgr Cremona was widely regarded as a ‘people’s bishop’, deeply loved and sought after for his warmth and approachability.

Due to health reasons, he resigned on October 17, 2014, retiring to the Priory of Our Lady of the Grotto.

Following a period of illness, Mgr Cremona passed away on March 18, 2025, at Mater Dei Hospital. His funeral, held on March 22 at St. John’s Co-Cathedral, saw a vast turnout of the faithful who lined the streets of the capital to pay their final respects. In accordance with his wishes, he was laid to rest in the Chapel of the Crucifix within the Dominican Church in Rabat.

#MaltaDaily