Drop in number of Church weddings

Figures tabled in parliament show a downward trend in the number of Church weddings in Malta and Gozo and a steady increase in the number of civil marriages.

Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg gave figures since 1995 as requested by Nationalist MP Mario Galea in a parliamentary question.

The figures show that in 1995 there were 1,812 church weddings and 333 civil weddings in Malta and 160 Church weddings and 12 civil weddings in Gozo.

Church weddings in Malta rose to 1,857 in 1997 when there were also 354 civil weddings. There were 180 Church weddings and 11 civil weddings in the same year in Gozo.

Last year there were 1,533 Church weddings and 544 civil weddings in Malta and 131 Church weddings and 41 civil weddings in Gozo.

Justice Minister Austin Gatt said in reply to another question that 196 new marriage separation cases were filed in the Maltese courts last year and seven in Gozo. He said 150 of the cases were filed by the wife and 53 by husbands. In contrast 75 new separation cases were filed in Malta in 1995 along with five in Gozo.