Francesco Saverio Caruana

Francesco Saverio Caruana (7 July 1759 – 17 November 1847) was a Maltese prelate who was Bishop of Malta from 1831 to his death in 1847.[1] He was also a rebel leader during the Maltese uprising of 1798–1800.[2]

His Excellency

Francesco Saverio Caruana
Bishop of Malta
ChurchRoman Catholic
DioceseMalta
Appointed28 February 1831
In office1831-1847
PredecessorFerdinando Mattei
SuccessorPublio Maria Sant
Orders
Ordination20 December 1783
by Vincenzo Labini
Consecration15 May 1831
by Publio Maria Sant
RankBishop
Personal details
Born(1759-07-07)7 July 1759
Żebbuġ, Hospitaller Malta
Died17 November 1847(1847-11-17) (aged 88)
BuriedSt. Paul's Cathedral, Mdina
NationalityMaltese

Caruana was born in Żebbuġ on 7 July 1759. At the age of 24 he was ordained priest by Archbishop Vincenzo Labini and in 1796 he became canon of the Mdina Cathedral chapter.[3] During the French occupation of Malta Canon Caruana was made a member of the Commission de gouvernement (Government commission) but resigned some time later when he saw that he could not prevent the French from establishing unjust laws and when they started stealing precious artifices from the Maltese churches.[4] Canon Caruana played a prominent role in the Maltese uprising against the French and in bringing the British to Malta.[5] During the revolt, he was the commander of the battalions of Żebbuġ and Siġġiewi. Tas-Samra camp and battery fell under his overall command.[6]

In 1822 Caruana was nominated as the cathedral archdeacon and in 1829 he was appointed diocesan administrator upon the death of Bishop Ferdinando Mattei. Two years later, Pope Gregory XVI appointed him as the successor of Mattei and he was consecrated on 15 May 1831 by Publio Maria Sant, who would eventually become his successor in 1847.[7] Bishop Caruana died in 1847, at the age of 88, after 16 years as bishop.

References
  1. Morana, Martin (2011). Bejn Kliem u Storja (in Maltese). Malta: Books Distributors Limited. ISBN 978-99957-0137-6. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016.
  2. Sammut, Joseph C. (1992). "Maltese Blockade Medals". Proceedings of History Week: 77–87.
  3. "The Very Long Hiccup and the establishment of the Army Medical Services in Malta". Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  4. Mangion, Fabian (6 December 2009). "Unidentified coat-of-arms on antique wall clock belong to Bishop Saverio Caruana (1)". Times of Malta. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  5. Refalo, Michael (May 2006). "Present (and Past) Concerns, Future Directions: Religion and the Church in the Writing of 19th-Century Maltese History". In Joaquim Ramos De Carvalho (ed.). Religion, Ritual and Mythology: Aspects of Identity Formation in Europe (PDF). Edizioni Plus (Pisa University Press). p. 216. ISBN 978-8884924049. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 February 2017.
  6. Spiteri, Stephen C. (May 2008). "Maltese 'siege' batteries of the blockade 1798-1800" (PDF). Arx - Online Journal of Military Architecture and Fortification (6): 23. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  7. "Bishop Francesco Saverio Caruana". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved 20 February 2014.


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