Armenians in Malta
Representatives of the Armenian Diaspora of Malta at Hastings Gardens
|
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Valletta, Mdina, Qrendi | 500 |
| Languages | |
| Armenian, English, Maltese | |
| Religion | |
| Armenian Apostolic | |
Armenian Diaspora in Malta is a community of Armenians, living on the island of Malta. There are thousands of Armenians on Malta, but only some 400-500 identify themselves as Armenians. The rest are assimilated with the locals and they consider themselves Maltese. The surnames and documents, saved in their family archives, are indicative of their Armenian origin. The interests of the Armenian Diaspora in Malta are represented by the Armenian Community of Malta.
The relationship of the Armenian Kingdom with the Knights Hospitaller (later the Sovereign Military Order of Malta) has very ancient roots and started in 1097. The knights became a land owner beginning with the year 1149. In 1163 the Order was granted a castle around Mamestia and two castles in Selevkia under Leo II, King of Armenia. The Order was present in Cilicia until 1375. Many Armenian knights and ordinary citizens resettled on Malta after the collapse of Armenian Kingdom in 1375.
The second mass resettlement of the Armenians in Malta took place after the Armenian Genocide in 1915 in the Ottoman Empire, and the third resettlement was at the end of the 1990s after the collapse of the USSR. Basic part of the migrants later moved to the countries of Continental Europe.
One of the historical examples of the presence of Armenians on Malta is the Church of Our Lady of Liesse built by means of the funds provided by the Bali of Armenia, Fra Giacomo Chenn de Bellay, one of the descendants of the Luzinian family.
Armenian Community of Malta is a public organization based on self-administration that acts in accordance with the Constitution of Republic of Malta and current legislation of the republic. The members of the Community are Armenians and their family members (Malta residents) united on a voluntary basis. The Community operates on the territory of Malta and EU; is a legal body and has its own logo.
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Wikipedia