Valetta, Malta
Malta is Catholic (it’s even in the Maltese constitution) because Paul was here many years ago. Malta also belongs to the European Union (EU) but not because Paul was shipwrecked on Maltese shores. My case in point: Paul was not even close to Austria, yet it also belongs to the EU and people there do not speak Maltese. They speak Maltese in some parts of Australia (which sounds very much like Austria), but Australia is neither predominantly Catholic nor does it belong to the EU. This makes sense because Paul never got shipwrecked in Australia. He may have wished that he’d been in Australia because there were lots of heathens in the outbacks to convert and he would have been far from Rome. Rome is where Paul ended up after 3 months on Malta and Rome is where he was beheaded by Caesar. That’s why Rome is now where the head of the Catholic Church resides and Malta is where St Paul’s Bay is located.
As you can see, it helps to have some background in ancient history and geography to understand the intricate details and connections between the events that shaped our religions and political structures. You’ll need that kind of knowledge when visiting Malta.
Malta oozes history. I soaked it all up during an extensive 4-hour tour of the island that included a (rewarding) visit to a great winery. The more wine I drank, the clearer the history of this fascinating island became. Numerous peoples have occupied Malta in the course of its history: Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish, French and English. Oh yeah, and the Germans and Italians dropped 14,000 tons of bombs on this tiny island during a 157 day bombing raid in 1942. After that, the island was declared “unsinkable”.
It was that unsinkable determination of the Maltese people to resist occupation of their strategically important island that allowed them to survive. And they were rewarded for it: on April 15 th , 1942 King George VI awarded the George Cross to the Maltese people on a collective basis. This was done “…to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history.” The George Cross, one of the highest honours bestowed by the British Crown, has even been incorporated in the Maltese flag. To commemorate the lives lost during this epic struggle, the Malta Siege Memorial with its huge bell (picture #001) was erected at the entrance of the Grand Harbour in Valetta, Malta’s capital city. Queen Elizabeth inaugurated the monument in 1992.
When traveling, one notices quickly how well a particular country functions and how well the country’s political institutions serve its people. Upon entering Malta, your first impressions leave no doubt: this is a country that works well and looks after its people. As a democratic republic and a member nation of the European Union, Malta cherishes its history, fosters national pride, looks after the less fortunate in society and encourages economic growth and development. And while the country has adopted a policy of neutrality, its ties to the rest of Europe, especially England, remain very strong. Malta’s neutrality led to this tiny island being the venue for the first face-to-face meeting between President George H. W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Their efforts eventually resulted in the end of the Cold War.
Here are some interesting facts about Malta:
Malta…
· …has the second-highest voter turnout in the world
· …is classified as an advanced economy by the International Monetary Fund
· …produces only 20% of its food needs
· …lists limestone as its only major resource
· …hosts numerous film productions
· …does not charge property taxes
· …GDP per capita stands at 76% of the EU average
· …has the fourth highest car ownership of the EU
· …advertises itself as a medical tourist destination
· …has the highest population density of any country in the EU
· …voted to legalize divorce in 2011
· …has a population of 412,000
· …the Maltese language is a mixture of Arabic, English, French and Italian; Maltese is spoken only in Malta and certain parts of Australia
· …has 365 churches (roughly 1 church for every 1,000 residents)
- …welcomes three times more tourists (per year) than it has residents
· …98% of the Maltese population is Roman Catholic
· …the majority of people leaving Malta go to Australia
· …faces a dire financial situation; after the first 4 months in 2012 the government reached the deficit it had projected for the entire year.
By the way, I wasn’t kidding about Paul being ship-wrecked on Malta. The amount of research that has gone into this issue by scholars and historians is astounding. Researchers now believe to have found the cove/bay on Malta where Paul is thought to have landed after drifting across the Mediterranean for 14 days during a persistent gale in the year 60 A.D. After landing on Malta, Paul didn’t waste any time. During his 3 months on Malta, he preached the Gospel of Jesus and left behind a lively Christian congregation. Now, of course, St Paul’s Bay is a major tourist resort town.
Malta really is a special place. I admire the courage of the Maltese people and the role this small country plays today in a strategically rather vulnerable location. I just have one complaint: will anybody please send them some paint!! I have rarely seen more boring houses.