Fr. Emmanuel Magri [Manwel] (1851-1907) 

Folklorist, archaeologist and writer. Born on the 27th of February, 1851 in Valletta (Malta), Magri joined the Society of Jesus, in 1871. He was ordained priest in 1881 in Tortosa (Spain), and made the solemn profession of the last vows on the 15th of August 1890, in Istanbul (Turkey). As a Jesuit, Magri taught in a number of Jesuit College in Malta, and Turkey. He also served as Assistant of the Provincial of Sicily (1898-1902) and as Rector of the Seminary in Gozo (1902-1906). Magri died unexpected on March 29th, 1907 in Sfax, Tunisia, where he had gone to preach Lenten exercises and celebrate Easter for the Maltese community.

Magri was a pioneer in the collection of Maltese folk tales and lore. His work in this field has saved for posterity material which would have been otherwise lost through modernisation and more widespread education. As an archaeologist, Magri was a member of the first Committee of Management of the Museum of Malta. He excavated, on behalf of the Government, the Hypogeum at Hal Saflieni, a Megalithic Temple in Xewkija (Gozo), and a number of other sites in Malta an Gozo.

Further reading

Briffa, Josef Mario

• "Patri Manwel Magri u l-Ipoġew", Lil Ħbiebna, Novembru 2003, pp. 195-197. [online on this site: Maltese, English]
• "New Light on Fr Magri's exploration of the Hypogeum: Notes from correspondence with the British Museum.", Malta Archaeological Review, Issue 6, 41-46. Malta, 2005.

Magri, Emmanuel

• Three Punic Inscriptions re-discovered in Malta. Edited with translation and Commentary, Malta: Government Printing Office, 1901.
  
• Ruins of a Megalithic Temple at Xeuchia (Shewkiyah) Gozo. First report, Malta, 1906.

Mallia, Salv.

• Manwel Magri S.J., Malta: Istitut Komunikazzjoni Socjali, 1978
  
• "Fr. Manwel Magri's Contribution to the Conservation of Malta's archaeological Heritage", Melita Historica 9 (1985), 145-169. [online at www.xs4all.nl/~nizaar/]
  
• "Fr. Magri and Conservation: a Postscript", Melita Historica 9 (1985), 245-246. [online at www.xs4all.nl/~nizaar/]
  
• "Magri, Emmanuel (Manwel)", in Diccionario Histórico de la Compañia de Jesús III, 2472. Roma & Madrid, 2001.

Mifsud Chircop, George

• Manwel Magri – Ħrejjef Missirijietna [critical edition of Magri's folk tales], Malta, 1994.