The Diocese of Gozo has launched a book which tells the full history of the Christian faith and the Church on this island, which dates back to the year 1864 when the Diocese was founded, with research showing that already in the distant past there was the presence of two older ‘dioceses.’

The book, written in English by historian Mons. Dr Joseph Bezzina, is entitled A History of the Church in Gozo, and is the fruit of long years of scientific research during which the author had already published many books and articles on the subject, although not the history from the beginning to the end in a single book.

The Diocese of Gozo said that the launch of this precious volume, with a beautiful cover by Daniel Cilia and several illustrations with each chapter, took place on Friday – four days before the 161st anniversary of the Diocese of Gozo – at the Bishop’s Curia in Victoria.The keynote address was given by Joe W. Psaila PEP, and the launch took place under the patronage of the Bishop of Gozo Anton Teuma, who not only praised the much-desired and much-needed initiative of this new publication, which in his words is filling an important gap in the knowledge of the identity of the Gozitan Church, but also called this research “a continuation of the Incarnation of Jesus on this island.” In the words of the Bishop, “we cannot know who we are if we do not let history teach us.”

The book was published with the support of the Directorate for Cultural Heritage within the Ministry for Gozo and Planning, and is now on sale from the Bishop’s Curia bookstore and direct from the author.

Photos: Daniel Cilia

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