Pray for Malta

The Apostle Paul once crash-landed on the Mediterranean island of Malta. When he was entirely unaffected by a poisonous snake bite, the islanders were filled with awe. To this day, the people of Malta consider him the catalyst of their Christian identity. Centuries before Paul ever landed on the island, Maltese natives constructed ancient temples, some of which are among the oldest standing man-made structures in the world. Today, Malta is also one of the world’s most densely populated countries, with cities packed full of sand-colored limestone buildings. The Maltese people have been governed by many different powers, including Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, and the Knights of Malta. Malta received its independence from Great Britain in 1964 and is now a member of the European Union.

Malta has one of Europe’s lowest unemployment rates, but increased living costs put pressure on poorer families. Its cities are already crowded with its citizens, and an active tourist economy only adds to the crowds. Strategically located in the middle of the Mediterranean, these cities are further crowded by refugees fleeing from war. The leaders of Malta have been accused of stealing large amounts of public money for themselves, and the justice system is slow and inconsistently applied, often favoring those with power or money. In 2017, the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated after she raised serious questions about unrighteousness in the government. Moreover, Malta has very few sources of freshwater and rain rarely falls on the island. In response, Malta has started investing in plants that purify wastewater and seawater, but these processes consume large amounts of energy.

One of the first nations in Europe to adopt Christianity, Malta is still deeply religious; more than 96 percent of its people identify as Christian, mostly within the Roman Catholic Church. The Maltese are very committed to their faith — over 80 percent of them say their religion is important to them. However, though they may regularly attend Mass, many of those who seriously follow Christian tradition see it as just that: tradition. Among younger populations, religious passion is much weaker, and more are moving away from their Christian roots. Besides Catholics, there is a small evangelical church of only several thousand members. Faithful believers need the Spirit’s help to bring Jesus back to the center of life in Malta, just as the Apostle Paul once did 2,000 years ago.