Sir Count Michael Gonzi (16 November 1885 - 22 January 1984), was the first Archbishop of Archdiocese of Malta, and the 13th Bishop of Malta. His nephew, is the Prime Minister of Malta , Lawrence Gonzi. November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop. ... Lawrence Gonzi (born July 1, 1953) is the Prime Minister of Malta and Finance Minister of Malta. ...

Background

He was born in 1885 in Birgu, Malta and was ordained priest in 1908. In 1924 he was ordained as the 5th Bishop of Gozo. He remained as Bishop of Gozo till 1943 when Bishop Joseph Pace was ordained. On the 14th October 1943 he became coadjator bishop of Malta and Titular Bishop of Lyrbe. It was only three months after, that Bishop Mauro Caruana died, and in 17th December Michael Gonzi became Bishop of Malta. The Diocese of Malta, was elevated to an archdiocese of Malta in 1944, and hence only after a few days he became Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Malta. Fort St Angelo Birgu is a small town in Malta that played a vital role in the Siege of Malta in 1565. ... Gozo is an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, second in size to Malta Island. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop. ...

He was succeeded by Bishop Joseph Mercieca following retirement in 1976. 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ...

He died at the age of 98 on the 22nd January 1984. 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Controversies

Bishop Michael Gonzi, interdicted those who favoured the opinions of the Malta Labour Party. Their burial had to be done in unconsecrated land. This was due to the controversional proposal of integrating Malta with the United Kingdom and fear that the Malta Labour Party was becoming a Communist Party. The decree was issued on 17 March 1961. In modern usage, a communist party is a political party which promotes communism, the sociopolitical philosophy based on Marxism. ... March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ...

Reading newspapers of the Malta Labour Party and attendance in the Malta Labour Party mass meetings was declared a sin. The Malta Labour Party (MLP, Maltese: Partit Laburista) is a Maltese political party. ... The Malta Labour Party (MLP, Maltese: Partit Laburista) is a Maltese political party. ...

See also

Interdict (Roman Catholic Church) The word interdict usually refers to an ecclesiastical penalty in the Roman Catholic Church. ...