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Former archbishop Paul Cremona dies
During his time as archbishop, Paul Cremona saw the Church facing up to some of its most momentous of challenges • Funeral will be coordinated by church and state
19 March 2025, 7:26am
Matthew Farrugia
Matthew Farrugia
3 min read
The church announced in a statement that he passed away on Tuesday at 11:55pm at Mater Dei Hospital
Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona passed away late on Tuesday.
Cremona, who was 79 years old, dedicated his life to the Catholic Church, serving as archbishop of Malta from January 2007, until his resignation in October 2014, at the age of 68.
The church announced in a statement that he passed away on Tuesday at 11:55pm at Mater Dei Hospital.
In a statement, the church said that it is mourning the death of the beloved Cremona.
He will be laid to rest on Saturday at 9:30am in St John's Co-Cathedral.
During his time as archbishop, Cremona saw the Church facing up to some of its most momentous of challenges, with the campaign to introduce divorce somewhat undermining the influence of the Maltese church. A year later, it was a weaker voice, barely audible, that opposed civil unions and gay adoptions.
Reacting to Cremona's passing, Maltese Ambassador to the Vatican, Frank Zammit said that his death is a big loss for the Maltese church.
Zammit noted that Cremona's work as archbishop left a positive impact on the local community, "and he will be remembered as a figure of guidance and one of hope."
Opposition leader Bernard Grech said that Malta has lost a loyal servant. Grech added that he had just seen him a few days prior to Cremona's death.
Prime Minister Robert Abela described Cremona as a leader who led the church with love and humility. Abela announced that after speaking with the archbishop, there was an agreement that Cremona's funeral will be coordinated between the church and state.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola described Cremona as one whose words "force you to reflect so that uyou may find the best version of yourself."
She said Cremona was not one for ceremonies, but a man of the people.
The life of Paul Cremona
Paul Cremona was born in Valletta on 25 January, 1946. He received his primary education at the Montessori School in Valletta and his secondary education at the Lyceum in Ħamrun.
He joined the Dominican Order in September 1962. He studied philosophy and theology at the St. Thomas Aquinas College in the Dominican convent in Rabat and was ordained a priest on 22 March 1969.
Between 1974 and 1980, he served as Prior at the Our Lady of the Grotto Convent in Rabat. He resumed this role between 1997 and 2003.
In 1981, he was elected Provincial of the Maltese Dominican Province, serving two consecutive four-year terms. At the end of his tenure as Provincial, he was appointed parish priest of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima Parish in Gwardamanġa.
Between 1993 and 1997, he was responsible for the formation of Dominican novices and students, a role he held again briefly between 2004 and 2005. In 2005, he was appointed parish priest of Jesus of Nazareth Parish in Sliema.
A rocky tenure marked by a changing Malta
He was appointed archbishop in 2007 and during his seven-year tenure, he was understood to have struggled with his health. He was the first Maltese archbishop to request resignation.
While at the helm of the local church, Cremona saw its influenced slashed with the introduction of divorce and civil unions.
Cremona had admitted that the divorce referendum campaign had left him exhausted.
Pressure started building on Cremona in the summer of 2014 from the columns of the media. University lecturer and media academic Fr Joe Borg complained of a leadership vacuum inside the church, while former Labour columnist Lino Spiteri suggested that an “attempted coup” was at hand.
Matthew Farrugia is a staff reporter at MaltaToday
