Musico-literary event in Żurrieq to mark priest’s birth centenary

A musico-literary event at St Mary church, Żurrieq, known as Santa Marija ta’ Bubaqra, is commemorating the 100th birth anniversary of Fr Salv Farrugia on October 16 at 7.15pm.

A young Fr Salv

The Piccola Banda, under the direction of Josef Grech, will perform, accompanied by soprano Rosabelle Bianchi.

Anna Maria Gatt will compère the event, which will include a number of addresses by Chev. Carmel Schembri, Michael Caruana, Fr Ġwann Farrugia and Żurrieq archpriest Fr Daniel Cardona.

At the end of the evening, a new bust of Fr Salv will be unveiled in the hall named after him, adjacent to the same church. The bust was donated by Fr Ġwann Farrugia, who is Fr Salv’s nephew.

But who was Fr Salv?

A brief profile

Fr Salv Farrugia was born in Żurrieq on October 16, 1925, to Pawlu and Marija Concetta née Abdilla. He was their sixth child.

He was baptised at St Catherine parish church by archpriest Giovanni Battista Ghigo on October 18, 1925, and given the names Salvatore, Carmelo and Ġużeppi.

As a child, he attended the Żurrieq Primary School and the M.U.S.E.U.M. for catechism classes.

In October 1939, he commenced his studies at the Archbishop’s Seminary in Floriana, and subsequently attended lectures at the University of Malta.

The old St Mary church, known as Santa Marija ta' Bubaqra, before it was enlarged.

On August 3, 1952, archbishop Mikiel Gonzi ordained Fr Salv along with 17 other priests and eight friars at Valletta’s co-cathedral. He celebrated his first solemn mass at St Catherine parish church on August 10, 1952, when Fr Salv Gauci was parish priest.

On October 19, 1952, Fr Salv was unanimously chosen as the procurator of the Fratellanza tas-Sagrament u l-Qalb ta’ Ġesù, a role he held until November 17, 1991.

Fr Salv (third from right) during construction works at the Santa Marija ta' Bubaqra church.

On November 25, 1953, he was appointed procurator of the altar of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a position he held for many years.

From 1953 to 1960, he served as ecclesiastical assistant of the Żgħażagħ ta’ l-Azzjoni Kattolika.

He was also a teacher and served at the Żurrieq Primary School and at secondary schools in Żejtun and Qrendi between 1955 and 1980.

The Santa Marija ta' Bubaqra church today and the hall (right) dedicated to Fr Salv Farrugia.

In 1957, he was appointed rector of Santa Marija ta’ Bubaqra church. Between 1967 and 1968, with the help of other volunteers, he succeeded in expanding this small church, with the new building consecrated by archbishop Mikiel Gonzi in March 1968.

Fr Salv Farrugia in later years.

Between 1972 and 1976, Fr Salv was spiritual director of the St Catherine band club.

He celebrated his priesthood’s silver jubilee on August 7, 1977, during a solemn concelebrated mass at St Catherine parish church.

On November 22, 1998, Fr Salv, together with Fr Mikiel D’Amato, was awarded the Unur ta’ Ċittadin Ewlieni 1998 by the Żurrieq local council.

He died on December 1, 2004, at the Dar tal-Kleru in Birkirkara, at the age of 79. The funeral was held at St Catherine parish church on December 4, 2004. Among those present were the Fratellanza tas-Sagrament u l-Qalb ta’ Ġesù, and the homily was delivered by Fr Salv’s nephew, Fr Farrugia.

At the end of the mass, archbishop Ġużeppi Mercieca blessed  the coffin. Among the many distinguished attendees were bishop Annetto Depasquale and the chancellor of the archdiocese, Carmelo Zammit, currently bishop of Gibraltar.

As was fitting, before the burial at the San Leone Cemetery in Żurrieq, the coffin was brought into the church of Santa Marija of  Bubaqra, where Fr Salv had carried out significant pastoral work.