From conflict to concord: the evolution of Malta–Holy See relations and the path to diplomatic recognition (19th–20th centuries)

Abstract

This study examines the intricate historical and diplomatic development of the relationship between the Holy See and Malta from the early nineteenth century to the late twentieth century. Covering periods of colonial dominance, constitutional change, and post-independence diplomacy, this work explores how ecclesiastical and civil authorities negotiated their respective jurisdictions amid changing political landscapes. Rooted in Malta’s long-standing Catholic identity and influenced by the island’s strategic significance within the British Empire, the Holy See-Malta relationship provides a unique case study of how Church-State relations adapt to legal, cultural, and geopolitical shifts. The analysis is arranged both chronologically and thematically. It starts with the attempt of legal reform to adapt ecclesiastical jurisdiction and its exercise of justice to the demands and necessities of a transformed society under colonial rule (1800–1964), highlighting how the Proclamations V of 1828 and I of 1838 aimed to rearticulate ecclesiastical authority in the context of the limited jurisdiction tolerated by the colonial administration. It then explores three major political-religious conflicts of the twentieth century: the first involving Lord Strickland and the Maltese episcopate (1927–1932), the second centred on Dom Mintoff’s proposed integration with the United Kingdom (1955–1958), and the third, post-independence, concerning church schools (1981–1985). These crises revealed profound divisions between ecclesiastical and civil notions of Maltese identity and governance.