ABSTRACT
Paganism in Malta is growing up and doing so quickly. In July 2008, Malta became the 23rd country to join the Pagan Federation International. When we are studying a phenomenon which is relatively new and by nature fluid, amorphous, and constantly evolving, like Paganism - the changes are bound to be greater. Although it is still impossible to quantify Maltese Pagans reliably, and the community is still very small even in relation to other non-Catholic faith communities in Malta, its numbers have grown, both in terms of Pagans 'coming out' and in real terms. Maltese Pagans greeted this small official recognition of them in the document with astonishment, at being mentioned as much as at the statement's positive tenor and content. The Catholic context is undoubtedly important in shaping contemporary Paganism in Malta, but the influence of the local cultural context is more specific than that.
