Celebrating Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia’s life and achievements

Exhibition at Il-Ħaġar marks first centenary of his death

March 30, 2025| Times of Malta |02 min read
Antoine Vassallo and Ġina Attard browsing a new book on the life and works of Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia at Il-Ħagar museum in Victoria – where an exhibition marking the first centenary of Mgr Farrugia’s death is being held. Photo: Charles SpiteriAntoine Vassallo and Ġina Attard browsing a new book on the life and works of Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia at Il-Ħagar museum in Victoria – where an exhibition marking the first centenary of Mgr Farrugia’s death is being held. Photo: Charles Spiteri

Monsignor Giuseppe Farrugia: His Life and Achievements is the first serious study on Mgr Farrugia (1852-1925) on the first centenary of his death. Based on the late Mro Stephen Attard’s dissertation and edited by Prof. Maria Frendo, this thoroughly researched study places Mgr Farrugia at the forefront of the social and cultural milieu of his time and beyond.

The book forms part of an exhibition set up at Il-Ħaġar museum in Victoria to mark this important centenary.

Mgr Farrugia was dean of the Gozo cathedral, rector at the Gozo seminary, librarian of the Gozo National Library, theologian, linguist, orator, musician and designer. A polymath and a genius, his name was, and still is, associated with excellence, perfection and vision. 

The vast volume of information is compacted into four chapters, beginning with a succint but detailed biography of this Gozitan genius, born in Victoria in 1852. Just to get an idea of the effort put into this “labour of love”, it is worth noting that two chapters have 112 endnotes.

The critical analyses of Mgr Farrugia’s musical works are a pleasure to peruse, even for readers who are not specialised in this art form. Dun Ġużepp tal-Vers was not just an innovative composer: he became known as a popular orator – in church and outside – as well as a designer of liturgical vestments and objets d’art, as well as of buildings.

The exhibition, open daily between 9am and 5pm, closes on March 31. 

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