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Sylvester Carmel Magro

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His Excellency

Sylvester Carmel Magro

O.F.M.
Apostolic Vicar Emeritus of Benghazi
ChurchRoman Catholic
SeeBenghazi
Appointed10 March 1997
In office1997–2016
PredecessorGiustino Giulio Pastorino
Other post(s)Titular Bishop of Saldae
Orders
Ordination26 March 1966
Consecration11 May 1997
by José Sebastián Laboa Gallego
RankBishop
Personal details
Born(1941-02-14)14 February 1941
DiedJanuary 20, 2018(2018-01-20) (aged 76)
Msida, Malta
NationalityMaltese

Sylvester Carmel Magro (14 February 1941 – 20 January 2018) was a Maltese bishop who served as the Apostolic Vicar of Benghazi in Libya from 1997 until 2016.

Magro was born in Rabat, Malta, on 14 February 1941. In 1957 he joined the Franciscan order and was ordained a priest nine years later on 26 March 1966. In 1982 Magro became the parish priest of Sliema in Malta. In 1991 he became responsible for the Maltese and English-speaking communities in Libya. In 1997 Pope John Paul II appointed him as the Apostolic Vicar of Benghazi. He was ordained bishop by the Apostolic Nuncio to Malta, Archbishop José Sebastián Laboa Gallego. He was assisted by Joseph Mercieca the Archbishop of Malta and Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli the Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli.[1] During the Libyan Civil War Bishop Magro was repeatedly told to flee the country for his own safety, however he still remained with the people of Libya even in the midst of the difficult times. He was also warned repeatedly to flee Benghazi due to the area's instability.[2] On the occasion of Bishop Magro's 75th birthday, 14 February 2016, Pope Francis accepted his resignation and appointed Monsignor George Bugeja OFM, then coadjutor bishop of Tripoli, as his successor.[3]

Magro spent his last days in the Domus Pacis Franciscan Retirement Friary in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, Malta. He died on 20 January 2018, in Mater Dei Hospital in Msida, Malta. His Requiem Mass was celebrated in the St. Paul's Cathedral, Mdina, by Archbishop of Malta Charles Scicluna.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Bishop Sylvester Carmel Magro, O.F.M.", Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved on 18 March 2014.
  2. ^ "Bishop Magro advised to leave Benghazi church", The Times of Malta, Malta, 29 January 2013. Retrieved on 18 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Bishop George Bugeja taking over from Bishop Sylvester Magro in Benghazi", The Times of Malta, Malta, 14 February 2016. Retrieved on 30 September 2016.
  4. ^ "RIP Bishop Sylvester Carmel Magro". 24 January 2018.
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