After being consecrated Bishop by his predecessor Mons. Mario Grech on the 21st of August, at the Xewkija Rotunda – the new Bishop Mons. Anton Teuma made his Solemn Entrance to the Cathedral of the Assumption, in the Citadel, and took possession of the Chair on Wednesday, the 16th – a significant date as it also marked the 156th anniversary of the founding of the -Diocese of Gozo.

Bishop Teuma was greeted at the door of the Cathedral by Mons. Tarcis Camilleri, Vicar General and Archdeacon of the Cathedral, along with members of the Cathedral Chapter. After singing the Ecce Sacerdos by the Choir of the Cathedral’s Musical Chapel, under the direction of Mro Carmel P. Grech, he blessed the present congregation, visited the Blessed Sacrament, and then went to the sacristy to prepare for Mass.In his beautiful homily, the first one from the pulpit, the Bishop referred to the throne of mercy that was at the heart of the feast of Yom Kippur in the Old Testament, and compared it to the throne of the Cross from which Jesus, the Great Shepherd, exercises true authority, which is that of love and service.

He said that the mother Church should be the one who “presides in charity,” and meant that all Christians should take part in the mission of the Church to have a “circulation of service” where we should all be of service to one another, following the example of Christ who came to “serve and not to be served.”

The Bishop also greeted his predecessor Mons. Mario Grech, who on that day announced that he had been officially appointed by Pope Francis as Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops.

Among others present for the Mass was the Apostolic Nuncio Mons. Alessandro D’Errico. Also present at the gathering were Fr Risto Goranic from the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Rev. Betsi Thane from the Church of Scotland, who represented other Christian communities with a presence in Gozo.

Before the last blessing, Mons. Camilleri gave words of welcome to the new Bishop, after singing the Te Deum with thanksgiving on the anniversary of the Diocese.

The word Chair means the Chair on which the Bishop sits, and hence the word Cathedral, the church which is the seat of the Bishop in his Diocese.

When the new Diocese was founded in 1864, the Matrix of the Assumption in the Citadel was chosen as its Cathedral. The first Bishop, Michael Francis Buttigieg, had made the Solemn Entrance on October the 23rd, 1864, after being ordained in Rome. After him, ten more Entrances were made over the years, nine by bishops and another by an Apostolic Administrator.

To welcome the new Bishop on this occasion, the Diocesan Youth Choir launched the original song Stay with Us, a composition by Richard Grech to music by Francesco Pio Attard, whose lyrics it is built on the motto chosen by Bishop Anton Teuma – And He Walked Along With Them.

Photographs: Diocese of Gozo/Anthony Grech

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