Mgr Ġwann Azzopardi has passed away the St. Paul’s Basilica in Rabat announced on Friday.

Dun Ġwann, as he was affectionately known, was the curator of the Mdina Cathedral museum and the Wignacourt Museum in Rabat.

He is well known for his contribution to Malta’s history, especially in the artistic field, with his work serving as reference and inspiration for academics and scholars both locally and internationally.

Details on his funeral will be announced in due course.

Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna described Mgr Azzopardi as a "humble wise erudite & compassionate priest & scholar who embraced our heritage & taught us to be proud of it."

"He shared his vast knowledge with generosity & enthusiasm", Scicluna said in a tweet.

The Nationalist Party commemorated his memory, describing him as a "giant" of Maltese culture and a person whose memory will live on in his work.

Our prayers for the late Mons Dun Gwann Azzopardi (1937-2021). A humble wise erudite & compassionate priest & scholar who embraced our heritage & taught us to be proud of it. He shared his vast knowledge with generosity & enthusiasm. His muse:St Paul’s Grotto! Requiescat in pace! pic.twitter.com/knnbB3Jwbd

— Bishop CJ Scicluna (@BishopScicluna) February 19, 2021

Many from the academic world in particular united to commemorate Azzopardi's memory.

The Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, which is based in Michigan in the United States but which has worked extensively to preserve Maltese historical documents described Mgr. Azzopardi as "a man of letters and leader in the preservation of Maltese cultural history."

"A renowned scholar in multiple disciplines, Dun Gwann dedicated his life to making sure that future generations would have access to their history by opening archives and preserving their contents. Dun Gwann was a pioneer in microfilm preservation, and HMML's partner since 1972, nearly five decades of preservation leadership and friendship in Malta", the museum said.