Prelate and Author

An eminent scholar, Mifsud Tommasi was born in Cospicua. He graduated in theology from the UM and was ordained priest by Bishop Ferdinand Mattei in March 1821. He proceeded to Rome to continue his studies.

Mifsud Tommasi believed in the use of the vernacular as a powerful media of education for the Maltese speaking masses. For this purpose he opened in Valletta a school for the teaching of Maltese and he wrote and published religious literature in Maltese. Among his popular works are the ‘kurunelli’, which he composed in honour of village patron saints.

After some years serving at the Cospicua parish church, Mifsud Tommasi was nominated by Pope Pius VIII in 1829 to be the first archpriest of Ħaż-Żebbuġ parish church. This appointment was not ratified by the local bishop and then, he was instead offered the post of archpriest of the Cathedral Church, which he refused.

In 1857 Mifsud Tommasi was nominated canon of the Collegiate Church of Cospicua and was installed on 2nd January 1858. Ten years later he was nominated canon of the Cathedral Chapter and was installed in June 1868.

Ludovico Mifsud Tommasi with Fr Giuseppe Zammit edited a monthly magazine Il Cospicuano (26 July 1842-9 January 1843). This magazine devoted particularly attention to the needs of the inhabitants of Cospicua, but was also very hostile to the Italian liberal exiles in Malta, especially to Tommaso and Ifigenia Zauli Sajani who sued Zammit for libel. The latter was found guilty and made to pay a hefty fine. Most probably the paper was suppressed on orders of the ecclesiastical authorities. Between 15 July 1843 and 6 July 1844 Mifsud Tommasi was editor of a Maltese-Italian Fortnightly, entitled Michtub Mil Accademia Filologica Maltia, which dealth mainly with issues concerning the orthography and the teaching of the Maltese language.

In 1828 Mifsud Tommasi donated to his Collegiate church of Cospicua the altarpiece depicting the Immaculate Conception. This is the work of Pietro Paolo Caruana of Valletta and this effigy was solemnly crowned by Cardinal Domenico Ferrata on 25 June 1905.

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