Religion in Malta

Malta is fundamentally and visibly a Catholic country. According to various demographic censuses, upwards of 85-90% of the Maltese population identifies as Catholic, making it one of the most Catholic nations in the world per capita.

This religious identity is enshrined at the highest legal level. Article 2 of the Constitution of Malta explicitly establishes Roman Catholicism as the state religion. It decrees that the authorities of the Catholic Church have the duty and the right to teach which principles are right and wrong, and guarantees that Catholic religious teaching must be provided in all state schools.

However, the Constitution simultaneously guarantees full freedom of conscience and worship. Malta is home to growing communities of Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Hindus, and a historic Jewish community, all of whom practice their faiths freely.

The roots of Maltese Catholicism are ancient, tracing back directly to the pages of the New Testament. According to the Acts of the Apostles, the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked on Malta in 60 AD while being taken to Rome to face trial. The local inhabitants showed him "unusual kindness," and during his three-month stay, he is said to have introduced Christianity to the island.

This early Christian identity was later solidified and militarized by the arrival of the Knights of St. John (The Knights Hospitaller) in 1530. The Knights ruled Malta for over 250 years, acting as the vanguard of Catholic Europe against the expanding Ottoman Empire. This culminated in the Great Siege of 1565, a defining moment where the outnumbered Knights and Maltese repelled the Ottoman forces, forever linking Maltese national pride with the defense of the Catholic faith.

The Catholic faith permeates the visual, auditory, and social landscape of Malta in profound ways.

• 359 Churches

  For an archipelago of just 316 square kilometers, Malta boasts an astonishing 359 churches and chapels—more than one for every day of the year. The village parish church is typically the largest, most ornate building in any town, acting as the literal and metaphorical center of the community.

• Rites of Passage

  Sacraments such as Baptism, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation are massive familial and social events. Children are frequently named after saints, and Godparents play a highly active role in a child's life.

• The Generational Shift

  While the older generation remains strictly observant (attending mass weekly), there is a noticeable shift among millennials and Gen Z. Many younger Maltese identify as "cultural Catholics"—they deeply respect the traditions, enthusiastically participate in the village festas, and marry in the church, but may disagree with the Church's strict moral teachings and attend mass infrequently.

The intersection of Catholic doctrine and civil law makes Malta a fascinating study in political science. Over the last two decades, the country has undergone rapid secularization in its legal framework, often creating intense public friction with the Church.

The Progressive Paradox:

Despite its conservative religious heritage, Malta frequently ranks at the very top of the ILGA-Europe index for LGBTQ+ rights. In recent years, the government has legalized same-sex marriage, banned conversion therapy, and implemented highly progressive gender identity laws, often passing these measures despite formal opposition from the Archbishop and the Curia.

Divorce and IVF:

The influence of the Church previously meant that Malta was the only country in the EU where divorce was illegal. This only changed in 2011 following a fiercely contested national referendum. Similarly, the introduction of laws allowing IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) and the freezing of embryos sparked massive ethical debates rooted in Catholic theology.