Church marriages go up by 12 per cent

The number of weddings that took place in churches in Malta increased by 12 per cent last year when compared to 2009, to reach 1,616, the Curia said yesterday.

There were 1,379 marriages last year between Maltese nationals and another 68 involving a Maltese and a foreign spouse, the Curia added.

The statistics do not include weddings in Gozo.

There were 14 marriages between Maltese and foreign Catholics, 12 between Maltese Catholics and foreign non-Catholic Christians and eight between Maltese Catholics and foreign non-Christians.

Moreover, there were 16 marriages between Maltese living abroad and 153 marriages between foreign couples.

The 68 foreigners who married in church last year were evenly divided at 34 men and 34 women from 32 countries including the UK, Italy, the Philippines, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, Ireland, Hungary and Australia.

The highest number of weddings, 282, took place in June followed by 260 in May and 219 in July.

There were 57 couples who, after getting married civilly, opted for a Church marriage.

The Curia said there were 20 widows/widowers who remarried last year and 24 who remarried after their first marriage had been annulled.

The statistics were published to coincide with an annual Mass celebrated by Archbishop Paul Cremona for couples who got married last year. A similar Mass for engaged couples getting married this year will be said on the eve of St Valentine’s, February 13, at St John’s Co-Cathedral, in Valletta.