Malta
Malta shows what can happen when the Vatican effectively controls the country: it is the only member of the European Union that does not allow abortion or divorce.
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Where Church and state are intertwined |
The first article of Malta’s constitution proclaims “respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual”. The second makes Roman Catholicism the state religion.... | |
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Maltese marriage concordat (1993) |
In a nutshell this concordat says that the Catholic Church sets the rules for marriage and that the state agrees. Even so, in accordance with Article 4.2 marriage partners must sign away their right to get the divorce that in Malta doesn't even exist! Presumably that's to bind people if civil divorce is ever introduced, or if they're thinking of getting divorced abroad. |
Where Church and state are intertwined
This microstate off the coast of Sicily may well have more concordats per head than any other country in the world. Its history explains this. In 1530 the islands were given to the Knights of Malta in perpetual fiefdom in exchange for an annual fee of a single Maltese falcon. A century later the Grand Master of the Knights of Malta was awarded equality with a cardinal. He was henceforth addressed not just as "Your Majesty", like a king or "Your Eminence" like a cardinal, but as "Your Most Eminent Highness" — a title which showed the seamless unity of church and state in Malta.
Even today, church and state are intertwined: Catholicism is the state religion (as it is in three other tiny European states: Lichtenstein, Monaco and San Marino). Malta's Constitution enshrines this in Article 2:
- The religion of Malta is the Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion.
- The authorities of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church have the duty and the right to teach which principles are right and which are wrong.
- Religious teaching of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Faith shall be provided in all State schools as part of compulsory education.
In accordance with this, Malta secured an exemption when it joined the European Union (Protocol 7) in order to maintain its absolute ban on abortion.
The state also enforces Church policies on marriage: in Malta divorce is not allowed. A Maltese journalist describes the situation:
Separation breaks the marriage. Marriage can be created again through divorce. In Malta this is not allowed. [...] It is a baffling and hypocritical situation, which is forcing people to live together without marrying. [...] If your marriage does not work the first time, you are relegated to second-class citizen status where you can never marry again [...] Now, if the Church does not want to allow divorce, that is its right. But why is the government mirroring the Church? [1]
For the papal visit of 17-18 April 2010 a large stage was constructed whose symbolism was described by the architect as follows:
The Cross is at the centre, representing Jesus, the Pope to the side, is His representative on earth, and this is all leading to bringing Christ to the Maltese, represented by the President. [2]
Notes
1. Marisa Micallef, "Tackling the divorce issue", The Malta Independent, 22 January 2007. http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=45131
2. Architect Joe Bondin quoted in "Papal visit to cost around €750,000", Times of Malta, 24 March 2010. http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100324/local/papal-visit-to-cost-around-euro-750-000
