Msgr Claude Portelli son of Peter Paul and Tania nee Naudi from Sliema, was born on the 6 th of August 1975. He is the eldest son of four siblings and an uncle to three nephews and a niece. He received his Primary and Secondary education at St. Edward’s College in Vittoriosa. In 1994 Msgr Portelli started his studies at the University of Malta reading for his Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian and Philosophy. He started his seminary formation years in 1995 at the Archbishop’s Seminary in Tal-Virtu’, Rabat. In 2001 Msgr Portelli graduated in his Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from the Faculty of Theology at the University of Malta. He pursued his studies in Pastoral Theology and received his licentiate degree in 2003. He was ordained priest by Archbishop Joseph Mercieca on the 28th July 2002.
Throughout his first years of priesthood, Msgr Portelli was assigned various duties in the Archdiocese of Malta. In 2002 and 2003 he assisted the parish priest at the Assumption of Our Lady Parish Church, Ghaxaq. In 2003 until 2009 he was appointed Assistant Parish Priest at St. Julian Parish, St Julian’s. On 21 st July 2003 Archbishop Paul Cremona appointed Msgr Portelli parish priest of the same parish of St Julians. A post he retained until June 2022.
On the 8 th January 2023 Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna appointed Msgr. Claude Portelli as his first delegate for culture with the mission to pursue the path of dialogue between the Church in Malta and the field of Culture. At the same time he was also appointed director of the Catholic Institute in Floriana with the responsibility of regenerating the building into a centre for the arts and culture. Msgr Portelli still occupies this post to date.