The Maltese Islands are known to be very religious. In fact, the church has ruled the country and its politics many years ago. Today, the church is still a very strong organization, and it influences the Maltese lifestyle and important decisions made by the government. You can find numerous churches and religious sites in Malta.
Malta as a Christian Country
Malta became a strong Christian Country during St. Paul’s shipwreck which happened in 60 A.C (After Christ). It is said that St.Paul’s Ship was wrecked on the Maltese shore. The little island where they swam to is now called St. Paul’s Island and the former has become the Patron Saint of Malta.
The 10th of February is one of the Island’s public holidays. It commemorates St. Paul and his experience on the Island.
The First Bishop of Malta
During St Paul’s time in Malta, Publius, the Roman Government in Malta had converted to Christianity. He became the first Bishop of Malta. St Paul and St Publius, together with St. Agatha have become the Patron Saints of the Rock. St Agatha’s story is a very sad one. It is believed that she was tortured for being Christian by the man who wanted to marry her. She had refused him and during the torture, she did not give up and kept praying. She later became a martyr in 251 A.D.
Churches on the Island
As soon as you land on the Rock, you will realize that Malta is indeed a Christian Island. This is because of the number of churches that can be found on it. There are approximately 365 Churches on this tiny Rock (one for each day of the year). Following the Church’s dome will ensure you are closer to the town or village you want to reach.
Most of the towns in Malta have two Churches. So, preparing for the Village Festa is always a very important yet competitive event for the locals.
The first church on the island is that of St Lawrence in Vittoriosa (Birgu, one of the three old cities of the island). It was built in the 17th century by the Maltese Architect Gafa. and donated by Count Roger. He visited the Rock in the 11th Century. This church was used by the Knights of St John’s before building Valletta and made it their Capital City.
Malta’s Patron Saints and Parish Churches
As we have previously mentioned, St Paul, St Publius, and St Agatha are the main Patron Saints of the Rock. However, having so many churches means that there are many other Patron Saints for Parish Churches.
The main ones we would suggest to visit and worth mentioning are below:
The Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Valletta
