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Relationship dossier

Vatican City Malta

Relationship assessment

Close Malta–Holy See ties include agreements on education and canonical marriages

Vatican City toward Malta

+45

The Holy See has engaged Malta through bilateral agreements concerning the Church’s role in education and the civil recognition of canonical marriages, as well as papal visits to the country.

Malta toward Vatican City

+45

Malta has concluded bilateral agreements with the Holy See concerning the Church’s role in education and the civil recognition of canonical marriages, and has received papal visits.

Overall relationship

+50

The relationship combines sustained diplomatic engagement with bilateral arrangements addressing the Church’s role in Maltese public life, particularly education and canonical marriages. These arrangements and recurring papal visits underpin close ties, though the breadth of practical cooperation is less clear.

How to read these scores

Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.

−100
Extreme sustained hostility
−50
Substantially adversarial
0
Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
+50
Substantially cooperative
+100
Exceptionally close sustained partnership

“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.

Relationship context

Knowledge coverageLimited

Overview

Malta and the Holy See maintain a close diplomatic relationship shaped by Malta’s Catholic heritage. Bilateral agreements have addressed the Church’s role in education and the civil recognition of canonical marriages, providing concrete areas of government cooperation. Papal visits to Malta have also formed part of the relationship. The scope and implementation of these arrangements are not fully clear.

Key developments

Major uncertainties

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