Archbishop Emeritus Mgr Paul Cremona O.P. has passed away at the age of 79. Born in Valletta on 25th January 1946, he was appointed Archbishop of Malta on 2nd December 2006 and officially took office on 26th January 2007. He served faithfully until his retirement on 18th October 2014, at the age of 68.

Archbishop Cremona passed away at 11:55pm on Tuesday, 18th March 2025, at Mater Dei Hospital.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna, on behalf of the Church in Malta, expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the beloved Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona and said that the Church entrusts “such a faithful and loving pastor to the mercy of the Good Shepherd.”

Biography of His Grace Archbishop Emeritus Mgr Paul Cremona O.P.

Mgr Paul Cremona O.P. was born in Valletta on the 25th January 1946 to Joseph and Josephine née Cauchi. He completed his primary education at the Montessori school in Valletta and then pursued the secondary level at the Lyceum in Hamrun. In September 1962, he joined the Dominican Order and professed on the 29th September 1963. He studied philosophy and theology at the College of St Thomas Aquinas at the Dominican priory at Rabat and was ordained priest on the 22nd March 1969.

After his priestly ordination, Mgr Cremona was sent to follow higher studies in Moral Theology at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome (Angelicum) where, in 1973, he graduated Doctor in Theology presenting the thesis “The Concept of Peace in Pope John XXIII”.

Between 1974 and 1980 he was prior at the priory of Our Lady of the Grotto at Rabat. He was re-elected to the same office in 1997 and again served two terms up to 2003. In 1981 he was chosen Provincial of the Maltese Dominican Province, an office he held for two four-year terms. On termination of office, he was entrusted with the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima in Gwardamanġa as its parish priest. Between the years 1993 and 1997 he was responsible for the formation of the Dominican novices and students at Rabat, an office he again held for a short period of one year between 2004 and 2005. In 2005 Mgr Cremona was chosen as Parish Priest of the Parish of Jesus of Nazareth in Tas-Sliema.

His nomination as Archbishop of Malta was made public on the 2nd December 2006 and he was ordained Bishop on the 26th January 2007. Archbishop Cremona also served the Archdiocese as the Archbishop’s Delegate for Consecrated Life, Assistant Spiritual Director at the Seminary at Tal-Virtù and as a member of the Presbyteral Council. He was also President of the Council of Maltese Religious Major Superiors (KSMR).

Mgr Cremona is the author of several books dealing with theology and spirituality including his thesis “The Concept of Peace in Pope John XXIII”, “The Church: Icon of the Holy Trinity” and writings on the creed and the commandments, as well as four books he wrote jointly with Fr George Frendo O.P., today Archbishop Emeritus of Tirana-Durres, Albania.

Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Mgr Cremona as Archbishop of Malta on the 18th October 2014.

Archbishop Cremona initially spent his retirement at the Dominican Friary in Rabat, Malta, before relocating to Id-Dar tal-Kleru in Birkirkara in more recent years.

Condolences

From Apostolic Nuncio Savio Hon Fai-Tai

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From the President of Malta, Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono

From the Prime Minister of Malta, Dr Robert Abela

From the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Anglu Farrugia

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From the President of the European Parliament, Dr Roberta Metsola

From the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Bernard Grech