Ritratt: Knisja.mtToday marks the 11th anniversary of Archbishop Charles Scicluna’s solemn installation as Metropolitan Archbishop of Malta, a milestone in his pastoral ministry that began with his formal entry into St Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina on 21 March 2015.
The day of his installation was marked by a series of moments of prayer and encounter with the faithful, reflecting the liturgical traditions of the Maltese Church. Archbishop Scicluna began the morning with prayer at the parish church of Lija, where he resides. He then travelled to St Dominic’s Church in Rabat, where he was received by Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona. Together, they prayed at the chapel of Our Lady of the Grotto.
Along the route to Mdina, members of the faithful gathered in the squares to greet the new archbishop. The procession included stops at the Grotto of St Paul, where the Apostles’ Creed was recited, and at St Mary of Jesus Church, where prayers were offered for the Synod on the Family and to St Joseph. At St Mark’s Church, there was a period of silent adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.
Outside the chapel of St Agatha in Mdina, Archbishop Scicluna met with Christian religious leaders from other churches and traditions, a gesture reflecting the ecumenical dimension of the Church’s mission in Malta.
The solemn Mass of installation took place at St Paul’s Cathedral. At the beginning of the celebration, the apostolic bull of Pope Francis was presented to the College of Consultors and the assembly, read first in Latin and then in Maltese by Monsignor Lawrence Gatt. Through this bull, Archbishop Scicluna received his mandate as Archbishop of Malta.
Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona offered a prayer for the new archbishop, and the then Apostolic Nuncio, Monsignor Aldo Cavalli, led him to the cathedra and presented him with the crozier.
The news of Archbishop Scicluna’s appointment had been announced on 27 February 2015. In his first message as archbishop-elect, he expressed his commitment to serving the people of Malta.
Archbishop Scicluna was ordained a priest in 1986 and holds doctorates in both civil and canon law. From 2002 to 2012, he served as Promoter of Justice at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, where he was involved in the Church’s handling of clerical abuse cases.
He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Malta by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, and named Archbishop of Malta by Pope Francis in 2015. Since 2018, he has also served as Adjunct Secretary of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, dividing his time between Malta and Rome.
In November 2025, Archbishop Scicluna marked 14 years since his episcopal ordination.
