Archbishop Mikiel Gonzi’s house goes on sale for just under €1 million

A Birgu house which used to belong to Malta’s late Archbishop Mikiel Gonzi has gone on sale for €990,000.  The property is being exclusively sold by Malta Sotheby’s International Realty.

The unique property is a 230 square metre house which dates back to circa 1600, the era of the Knights of Malta, and is listed as a heritage site.

The Archbishop is mostly known for the introduction of the interdiction of supporters of the Labour Party. This came about due to the governing Labour Party’s push for the separation of church and state.

This meant that they were unable to receive sacraments, and when they died, they were buried in unconsecrated ground.  

This led to a very tense political climate, with Labour Party rallies regularly being disrupted by the church and its followers.

The interdiction lasted from 1961 until 1969.

Despite the interdiction, the Labour Party still gained 33.85 per cent of all votes in 1962 (a drop of nearly 23 per cent) and 43 per cent in 1966. In the following election of 1971, the Labour party was back in power with 50.8 per cent of the vote.

During this period of time, Malta also declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1964.

The Archbishop resigned from his post in 1976 and passed away on 22nd January 1984 at the age of 98.

Featured Image : Archbishop Mikiel Gonzi’s House via Malta Sotheby’s International Realty