Joseph Gatt Interesting echoes from the old University building in Valletta. 🤓
Joseph Gatt Very interesting historical research. Thank you for sharing, Mary Jo.
Illum, it-8 ta' Mejju 2025, il-Kardinal Robert Prevost sar l-ewwel Awgostinjan li qatt sar Papa.
L-Ordni Awgostinjana, mwaqqfa fl-1244 AD, kellha tlettax-il membru fl-istorja tagħha li ġew imlaħħqa Kardinali — erbatax jekk tinkludi lil José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán, tal-Ordni tal-Agostinjani Rikoletti (ordni ekkleżżjastiku li ħa l-indipendenza tiegħu mill-Ordni Awgostinjana fl-1612), li kien ġie pproklamat Kardinal fl-14 ta' Frar 2015, mill-Papa Franġisku.
Robert Prevost kien ġie pproklamat Kardinal fit-30 ta' Septembru 2023, mill-Papa Franġisku, fl-età ta' 68-il sena. Interessanti li l-aħħar Awgostinjan li kien ġie pproklamat Kardinal qablu (apparti mill-Kardinal José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán tal-Ordni tal-Agostinjani Rikoletti) kien propju l-Kardinal Malti Prospero Grech, li kien ġie pproklamat fit-18 ta' Frar 2012 mill-Papa Benedittu XVI, fl-età ta' 86-il sena, u b'hekk kien sar l-ewwel Agostinjan li ħa t-titolu ta' Kardinal fi 111-il sena. (Ara wkoll kitba relatata hawnhekk: zafoid.com/post/view/11890.)
This is an authentic screenshot from a CNN broadcast, and the person in the screenshot happens to be David Vardanyan, son of Ruben Vardanyan. But I am more intrigued by the cloud in the upper left corner, that is practically a silhouette of a long-necked dragon-like creature. Do you see it? I guess that it is pareidolia. (See also related post: zafoid.com/post/view/561.)
Il-Kardinal Mario Grech (it-tieni wieħed mix-xellugg fl-istampa) kien ġie pproklamat Kardinal fil-Konċistorju tas-28 ta’ Novembru 2020 mill-Papa Franġisku. Huwa mistenni li jipparteċċipa fil-konklavi li ħa jseħħu f'Mejju li ġej — l-ewwel Malti li ħa jgħamel dan wara 194 sena!
Il-Kardinal Mario Grech huwa t-tielet Malti li ġie pproklamat Kardinal. Il-Kardinal Malti ta' qablu kien Prosperu Grech (1925-2019), li kien ġie pproklamat Kardinal fit-18 ta' Frar 2012 mill-Papa Benedittu XVI, u b'hekk sar l-ewwel Agostinjan li ħa t-titolu ta' Kardinal fi 111-il sena. Billi l-liġi kanonika tesieġi li l-kardinali jkunu isqfijiet sakemm ma jirċievux dispensa speċjali, Prospero Grech ġie kkonsagrat Isqof ta' San Leone (belt ġewwa Sqallija) fit-8 ta’ Frar 2012 fil-Konkatidral ta' San Ġwann, il-Belt Valletta, minn Pawlu Cremona, Arċisqof ta’ Malta, assistit mill-Arċisqof Giuseppe Versaldi, u Mario Grech, Isqof ta’ Għawdex. Prospero Grech kien għamel il-meditazzjoni tal-ftuħ fil-konklavi papali tal-2013, iżda l-età tiegħu żammittu milli jipparteċipa bħala elettur.
L-ewwel Malti li qatt kien pproklamat Kardinal kien Fabrizio Sceberras Testaferrata, li kien nominat Kardinal mill-Papa Piju VII fil-Konċistorju tas-6 t’April 1818. Il-Kardinal Sceberras Testaferrata kien mill-Belt Valletta. Tul is-27 sena li dam Kardinal sal-mewt tiegħu f’Awwissu 1843, il-Kardinal Sceberras Testaferrata kien pparteċipa fi tliet konklavi (tal-1823, tal-1829, u tal-1830/31) li taw lill-Knisja tliet Papiet.
Joseph Gatt Many cardinals but only one pope. Will it be Gozitan Mario Grech?
https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/134781/many_cardinals_but_only_one_pope_will_it_be_gozitan_mario_grech
Joseph Gatt An interesting brief account of the history of papal elections:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/01/fist-fights-ghostly-pranks-and-schism-a-brief-history-of-conclaves-past
Joseph Gatt "The undated photograph is remarkable in that all the buildings shown in it have since been demolished and in most cases replaced, except Il-Fortizza, at the far end, which remains unchanged. " Malta, and Sliema particularly, has lost its quaint architectural character. It has been transformed into a jungle of high-rise buildings and skyscrapers, reshaping the streetscape from one of traditional values, to one of shallow commercial interests.