Archbishop Paolo Alpheran de Bussan.

The Maltese Catholic Church should honour Archbishop Paolo Alpheran de Bussan, who did a lot for Maltese Catholics, most notably his financing, in 1752, of the printing of a Maltese translation of Cardinal Bellarmino’s Catholic Catechism which was distributed to every parish in Malta.

Born in Aix-en-Provence, France, on October 28, 1686 of noble parentage, Paul Alpheran de Bussan graduated in Bachelor of Theology from the University of Aix in 1705 and was ordained a priest in 1710.

When he came to Malta, his ship was also shipwrecked at St. Paul’s Bay. On March 8, 1728, Pope Benedict XIII appointed Paul Alphéran de Bussan Bishop of Malta.

He built the Mdina Seminary in 1733, which today houses the Cathedral Museum and he brought to Malta various relics and visited various churches such as in Mosta, Siġġiewi, Cospicua, Marsascala, Żebbuġ and Pietà. He died in Malta in 1757 and is buried in the crypt of the Mdina Cathedral.

To commemorate his religious activities as a Bishop of Malta I have painting a portrait of him (shown here) which I would like to donate to the Maltese Catholic Church. I can be contacted at PO Box 16 Msida.