Gozo Island
Gozo is an
island of the
Maltese archipelago in the
Mediterranean Sea, second in size to
the island of Malta. In
Maltese, the island is called
Għawdex (pronounced
áw-desh). Gozo is part of the country of
Malta.
Gozo is 67 km² in size, which is approximately the same as
Hong Kong Island. It lies approximately 6 km northwest from the nearest point of Malta, is of oval form, 14 km in length and 7.25 km in extreme breadth.Gozo is famed for its grotto of Calypso, at a little distance from which are the ruins of a Cyclopean temple, a most conspicuous monument of antiquity. It is more picturesque than the larger sister island of Malta, and the country, covered as it is with conical hills, is more fertile in its plains and valleys.
In 2003, the island had a population of 30,750, 6,635 of which live in its capital
Rabat, also known as Victoria. The crude birth rate was of 7.93, considerably lower than that of 9.59 for Malta. The town with the highest birth rate is
San Lawrenz (15.93) and the one with the lowest is
Xewkija (4.89).
The construction of a bridge between the two islands was the subject of controversy for years. At present the island is reachable by ferry boat or by helicopter. Regular ferries relay between the port of
Ċirkewwa on Malta and Mġarr on Gozo, establishing services for goods, tourism and commuting. Permanent residents of Gozo are able to use the ferry at a subsidised rate, significantly lower than the standard fare. The heliport at
Xewkija provides passenger services to the mainland's
airport in
Luqa.
Gozo has been inhabitated since the 5
th millennium BC, as witnessed by the megalithicstructures at
Ġgantija. The first
Neolithic settlers probably crossed over from
Sicily. Another interesting neolithic structure is the
Xagħra Stone Circle.
In July
1551 Ottomans and
Barbary pirates conquered Gozo and
enslaved all 5,000 or 6,000 inhabitants, bringing them to Tarhuna Wa Msalata in
Libya. Their departure port in Gozo was Mġarr ix-Xini.
The history of Gozo is strongly coupled with the
history of Malta, since Gozo has been governed by Malta within recent history, with the exception of a short period of autonomy between
October 28,
1798 and
September 5,
1800.
The Roman Catholic diocese of Gozo (in Latin Goulos-Gaudisiensis), comprises the Island of Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea (seventeen miles west of the harbour of Valetta, Malta) and islet of
Comino. 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 Diocese of Malta, but
Pius IX, acceding to the repeated prayer of the clergy and the people, erected it into a separate
exempt diocese, i.e. immediately subject to the Holy See. On 16 March, 1863, Monsignor Francesco Michele Butigieg, 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 solemn entry into the new cathedral. Through the efforts of Mgr. Pietro Pace, who was then
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 Pope Pius IX placed under the direction of the
Jesuits.
On the death of Mgr. Butigieg, Father Micallef,
Superior General of the Augustinian Order, was made Bishop of
Città di Castello and appointed
administrator of the Diocese of Gozo. He left Gozo in May, 1867, and in 1871 became
Archbishop of Pisa. His successor to the administration of the diocese was Mgr. Antonio Grech Delicata,
titular Bishop of
Chalcedon, a native of Malta, who in 1868 was appointed Bishop of Gozo, and as such assisted at the
First Vatican Council. Mgr. Grech Delicata's charity towards the poor went so far that he divested himself of his own patrimony. This worthy prelate died on the last day of the year 1876.
On 12 March, 1877, Mgr. Canon Professor Pietro Pace, native of Gozo, was appointed to succeed Mgr. Grech Delicata, and was consecrated at Rome by Cardinal Howard. Under his administration the seminary was augmented by the installation of a meteorological
observatory, which was inaugurated by the celebrated Padre Denza, Director of the
Vatican Observatory. During this administration an episcopal educational institute for girls was also established, under the care of the
Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul, to whom was also entrusted the direction of the annexed orphan asylum. The same bishop provided the diocese with a new episcopal palace and new monasteries, besides laying out large sums of money on the cathedral.
In 1889, Mgr. Pace was promoted Archbishop of
Rhodes and
Bishop of Malta. His successor in the See of Gozo was the Reverend G. M. Camilleri,
O.S.A., a native of
Valetta (b. 15 March, 1842). Under Mgr. Camilleri's administration the first diocesan synod was celebrated, in October, 1903. This synod was of absolute necessity, as the diocese was still governed under the rules of the Synod of Malta of 1703, and consequently lacked a safe guide adapted to the times. Constitutions and decrees were also promulgated and published which gave new life to the working of the diocese.
The cathedral church of Gozo was built in 1697-1703, by Lorenzo Gafa. Its ground plan is in the form of a Latin cross. Its interior is adorned with fine paintings. The "Massagiere di Maria", an Italian periodical, is recognized in the Diocese of Gozo as the official organ of the sanctuary of the Bl.
Virgin ta Pinu.
*
Maltese Ministry for Gozo*
Gozo Business Chamber*
Gozo Beaches*
PhotoGlobe: Gozo A collection of commented photos together with GPS-based coordinates
*
Zoomable Map of Gozo*
Gozo Channel Ferry services to and from Gozo
