Bishop of Izmir

Izmir born, Edoardo Tonna came from a family of Maltese origins still present in Turkey. Ordained priest on 30 March, 1918, he served briefly as parish priest of St. Helen in Izmir between 1927 and 1928. At 38 years of age he was elected Bishop of Izmir by Pope Pius XI on 26 November, 1929, receiving his episcopal consecration in Rome from Cardinal Willem van Rossum C.Ss.R., on 9 February of the following year.

Political unrest made him resign his see and move to Rome in 1937, with Pope Pius XII conferring on him the title of archbishop of the titular see of Garella on 3 December 1937. Mgr Edoardo Tonna was appointed canon of the chapter of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran. He died in Rome on 6 November 1963.

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.

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