Diocese of Gozo established by Pope Pius IX, 1864

Background. Prior to 1864, Gozo was part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Malta. Pope Pius IX, responding to requests from the clergy and people, erected Gozo into a separate diocese. This new entity was initially exempt, meaning it was immediately subject to the Holy See rather than the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Malta.

Establishment. The Diocese of Gozo was formally established on 16 September 1864, a date derived from the diocese's anniversary of establishment. Michael Franciscus Buttigieg, a native of Gozo, had been appointed titular Bishop of Lita on 16 March 1863 and deputy auxiliary of the Archbishop-Bishop of Malta for the Island of Gozo. He was consecrated at Rome on 3 May 1863 and created the first bishop of the new diocese on 22 September 1864.

Cathedral. The Cathedral of the Assumption in Victoria is identified as the cathedral church of Gozo; built between 1697 and 1703 by Lorenzo Gafa, it is one of the oldest active parish churches in Gozo. The first bishop made his entry into the new cathedral on the 23rd day of the month following 22 September 1864, which the passages do not explicitly name or date.