How does Malta's constitutional framework protect religious belief and worship in Malta?

The Constitution gives Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion a special constitutional position while protecting freedom of conscience and worship. It also prohibits discrimination on grounds including creed, subject to the exceptions provided by law.

How can a person find non-Catholic religious services in Malta?

Non-Catholic services are generally arranged through the relevant faith community or clergy rather than through a national religious authority. The service language, meeting place and access conditions depend on the particular community.

How does religious education work in Malta's state schools?

State schools provide Catholic religious education under the constitutional framework, but parents can choose philosophy of life and ethics instead. A parent or guardian can object for a child under 16, while a student aged 16 or more can make that objection personally.

What must a couple arrange for a religious marriage in Malta?

A religious ceremony must involve a church or religious body recognised under the Marriage Act, and at least one party must belong to or profess that religion. The couple must complete the required civil and religious procedures, and the religious official must send the marriage act to the Public Registry immediately after the ceremony.

What is required for a Catholic baptism in Malta?

The family normally contacts its resident parish and provides the child's Public Registry birth certificate and identification documents. Baptism usually involves one or two godparents aged at least 16 who practise the faith, along with preparation and a declaration of faith; a different parish may require permission or a valid reason.

Religion in Malta

Q: Which religious public holidays are paid in Malta in 2026?

The 2026 paid public-holiday calendar includes St Paul's Shipwreck on 10 February, St Joseph on 19 March, Good Friday on 3 April, St Peter and St Paul on 29 June, the Assumption on 15 August, Our Lady of Victories on 8 September, the Immaculate Conception on 8 December and Christmas Day on 25 December. Malta has 14 paid public holidays in total when religious, secular and national dates are combined.

Malta gives Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion constitutional primacy while protecting freedom of conscience, belief and worship for everyone. Roman Catholicism remains the largest affiliation, but Malta also has Muslim, Orthodox, Hindu, Anglican, Protestant, Buddhist, Jewish, Baha'i and other communities, as well as people with no religious affiliation. Religious life includes parish worship, community-led services, religious education, public holidays, interreligious dialogue and ceremonies such as baptism, marriage and funerals.

Tip

Treat religious arrangements in Malta as provider-specific: identify the relevant parish, faith community or civil authority before relying on a service, ceremony or date. For schools and life events, keep the religious choice separate from the civil procedure, and allow extra time where certificates, preparation or permissions are required. Confirm language, access, documents and charges directly because services and fees vary between providers.

byMartina&Noah

Article 2 of Malta's Constitution recognises Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion as the country's religion and gives Church authorities the duty and right to teach which principles are right and wrong. Article 40 protects full freedom of conscience and religious worship, and Article 45 prohibits public-law discrimination on grounds including creed. The European Union Charter also protects changing or publicly expressing a belief and requires respect for religious diversity. A religious official is not required to conduct a ceremony in a form rejected by that official's religious body. The 2021 Census measured self-identified affiliation among residents aged 15 and over. It recorded 373,304 Roman Catholics, or 82.6% of that population, 17,454 Muslims, or 3.9%, and 16,457 Orthodox Christians, or 3.6%. It also recorded 6,411 Hindus, 5,706 members of the Church of England, 4,516 Protestants, 2,495 Buddhists, 1,249 Jews, 911 people in other religious groups and 23,243 people with no religious affiliation, or 5.1%. Census affiliation does not show how often someone attends worship or whether they hold formal membership. The research record notes that 84% of the 65,919 people identifying as non-Roman-Catholic or with no religion were non-Maltese, which helps explain the practical relevance of multilingual and community-based religious services. The Archdiocese of Malta and the Diocese of Gozo provide the main formal Catholic structures. Catholic parishes, called parroċċi, offer Mass, catechesis and sacramental records. Local terms include Knisja for church and Quddiesa for Mass. Parish schedules can include English, German, Italian, Latin, Malayalam, Polish, Serbian Orthodox, Spanish, Syro-Malabar and Tagalog services, depending on the parish and date. Sunday and feast-day schedules should be checked with the relevant parish. Non-Catholic worship is generally organised through the relevant community or clergy because Malta has no single state umbrella body for all religions. Documented communities include Anglican, Baptist, Islamic, Ahmadiyya, Jewish, Greek, Romanian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Coptic, Serbian and Georgian Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Baha'i, Dhammakaya and Pakistani groups. State schools provide Catholic religious education under the constitutional framework. Under section 45 of the Education Act, Chapter 605, parents can choose Catholic religion or philosophy of life and ethics. A parent or guardian can object for a child under 16, while a student aged 16 or more can make that objection personally. The Catholic curriculum is prepared under the authority of the Bishops. Church schools form a separate Catholic education pathway. For the 2026-2027 admissions information, the listed fees include EUR 25 for an application, EUR 30 for a late application and EUR 50 for registration; current admissions rules and fees should be confirmed with the Secretariat for Catholic Education. Malta has a statutory calendar of 14 paid public holidays in 2026, including religious, secular and national dates. The listed religious dates are St Paul's Shipwreck on 10 February, St Joseph on 19 March, Good Friday on 3 April, St Peter and St Paul on 29 June, the Assumption on 15 August, Our Lady of Victories on 8 September, the Immaculate Conception on 8 December and Christmas Day on 25 December. Parish festa calendars and processions extend beyond statutory public holidays and represent local religious observance rather than a separate national employment entitlement. Religious life events usually require both the relevant faith body's arrangements and any applicable civil procedure. For a Catholic baptism, the family normally contacts its resident parish, provides the Public Registry birth certificate and identification documents, and arranges preparation. One or two godparents are normally at least 16, practising Catholics and willing to make a declaration of faith. Baptism in another parish may require a valid reason and permission. Adults seeking baptism can enter Christian Initiation for Adults, commonly called RCIA, through welcome.church.mt. Confirmation and First Eucharist generally require a baptism certificate, catechesis or formation and, where necessary, parish permission; the parish keeps the records. A Maltese marriage may take civil or religious form. For a religious ceremony, the church or religious body must be recognised under the Marriage Act, Chapter 255, and at least one party must belong to or profess that religion. Catholic couples commonly begin church arrangements about two years beforehand, complete Cana preparation, attend final premarital preparation about six months before the wedding, and complete the parish examination and certificates about three months beforehand. A civil ceremony through the Public Registry is commonly arranged about three months beforehand, while the Curia Marriage Office may require contact about two months beforehand. Exact arrangements depend on the parish, the Curia and the couple's circumstances. The religious official sends the marriage act to the Public Registry immediately after the ceremony, and Catholic canon-law marriages are recognised subject to statutory conditions. Parishes can provide a church blessing, funeral Mass and clergy involvement when a family requests a Catholic funeral. The clergy may meet the cortege at the church, and the parish keeps a record. Access, timing and any charge depend on the parish or faith community. Malta has no uniform national religious-service tariff identified in the reviewed official sources; donations and community fees vary, while civil registry charges follow the current statutory tariff. Interreligious dialogue has a formal Catholic channel through the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue of the Archdiocese, established in 2011 to advise the Archbishop, support Catholic formation and organise events. A 2026 interfaith gathering involving Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Indian, Buddhist, Baha'i and Orthodox representatives shows a wider public interface. Such state or parliamentary dialogue does not replace the individual community or clergy responsible for worship, ceremonies and religious guidance.