Roman Catholic Diocese of Gozo
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Diocese of Gozo Dioecesis Gaudisiensis Djoċesi ta' Għawdex |
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Exterior of the Gozo Cathedral
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| Location | |
| Country | Malta |
| Territory | Gozo and Comino |
| Ecclesiastical province | Malta |
| Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Malta |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 67 km2 (26 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2013) 31,143 28,074 (90.1%) |
| Parishes | 15 |
| Churches | 48 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 22 September 1864 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of the Assumption in Victoria, Gozo |
| Patron saint | Saint George |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Mario Grech |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Charles Scicluna |
| Vicar General | Tarcisio Camilleri |
| Map | |
 The Diocese of Gozo marked in red. |
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| Website | |
| Website of the Diocese | |
The Diocese of Gozo (or Ghawdex) (in Latin Goulos-Gaudisiensis), is a Latin bishopric (diocese) of the Catholic Church in Malta, and the only suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Malta, together covering the insular state.
The diocese comprises the island of Gozo (seventeen miles west of the Maltese capital Valletta) and the islet of Comino.
As of 2013[update] the Bishop of Gozo was Mgr. Mario Grech.
On a central plateau the ruined fortifications of an ancient town contain the cathedral church and public buildings, outside of which is a large suburb.
Up to the year 1864, Gozo formed part of the then Roman Catholic Diocese of Malta, but Pope Pius IX, acceding to requests by the clergy and the people, erected it into a separate, then exempt diocese, i.e. immediately subject to the Holy See. On 16 March, 1863, Monsignor Michael Franciscus Buttigieg, a native of Gozo, was appointed titular Bishop of Lita and deputy auxiliary of the Archbishop-Bishop of Malta, for the Island of Gozo. He was consecrated at Rome on 3 May of the same year, on 22 September, 1864, was created first bishop of the new Diocese of Gozo, and on the 23rd day of the following month made his entry into the new cathedral. Through the efforts of Pietro Pace, vicar-general of the diocese, a diocesan seminary was established on the site formerly occupied by the San Giuliano Hospital, the revenues of which were appropriated to the new institution. This seminary was inaugurated 3 November, 1866, and by the express desire of Pius IX placed under the direction of the Jesuits.
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