Malta has a form of Christianity as its official religion.
The Catholic Church , also known as the Roman Catholic Church , is the largest Christian Church , with more than 1.29 billion members worldwide .. Catholic. Catholicism. largest. List of Christian denominations by number of members. Christian Church. Christian Church. As one of the oldest religious institutions in the world , it has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilisation .. Western civilisation. Western civilisation. Headed by the Bishop of Rome , known as the Pope , the church 's doctrines are summarised in the Nicene Creed .. Pope. Pope. Headed. Papal supremacy. Bishop of Rome. Diocese of Rome. doctrines. Theology ( Catholic Church ). Nicene Creed. Nicene Creed. Rome. Rome. Its central administration , the Holy See , is in the Vatican City , enclaved within Rome , Italy .. Holy See. Holy See. Vatican City. Vatican City. Rome. Rome. Italy. Italy. The Catholic Church teaches that it is the one true church founded by Jesus Christ , that its bishops are the successors of Christ 's apostles , and that the Pope is the successor to Saint Peter .. Pope. Pope. Catholic. Catholicism. Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. one true church. one true church. bishops. Bishop ( Catholic Church ). successors. Apostolic succession. apostles. Apostle ( Christian ). Saint Peter. Saint Peter. The Catholic Church maintains that the doctrine on faith and morals that it declares as definitive is infallible .. Catholic. Catholicism. infallible. infallibility of the Church. The Latin Church and Eastern Catholic Churches , as well as institutes such as mendicant orders and enclosed monastic orders , reflect a variety of theological and spiritual emphases in the Church .. Catholic. Catholicism. Latin Church. Latin Church. Eastern Catholic Churches. Eastern Catholic Churches. institutes. Religious institute ( Catholic ). mendicant orders. mendicant orders. enclosed monastic orders. Enclosed religious orders. variety. Catholic particular churches and liturgical rites. The Catholic Church is notable within Western Christianity for its sacred tradition and seven sacraments .. Catholic. Catholicism. Western Christianity. Western Christianity. sacred tradition. sacred tradition. seven sacraments. Sacraments of the Catholic Church. The principal sacrament , the Eucharist , is celebrated liturgically in the Mass. .. Eucharist. Eucharist ( Catholic Church ). liturgically. Catholic liturgy. Mass. Mass ( Catholic Church ). The church teaches that through consecration by a priest the sacrificial bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ .. consecration. Consecration#Eucharist. priest. Priesthood ( Catholic Church ). bread. Sacramental bread. wine. Sacramental wine. become the body and blood of Christ. Transubstantiation. The Catholic Church practises closed communion , with only baptised members in a state of grace ordinarily permitted to receive the Eucharist .. Catholic. Catholicism. Eucharist. Eucharist ( Catholic Church ). closed communion. closed communion. baptised. Baptism. grace. Grace in Christianity. The Virgin Mary is venerated in the Catholic Church as Queen of Heaven and is honoured in numerous Marian devotions .. Catholic. Catholicism. Virgin Mary. Mary, mother of Jesus. venerated. Veneration of Mary in Roman Catholicism. Queen of Heaven. Queen of Heaven. Marian devotions. Marian devotions. Heaven. Heaven ( Christianity ). The Catholic Church has defined four Marian dogmas  : the Immaculate Conception , the dogma that Mary was conceived without original sin ; her status as the Mother of God ; her perpetual virginity ; and her bodily assumption into Heaven at the end of her earthly life .. Catholic. Catholicism. Marian dogmas. Roman Catholic Mariology#Dogmatic teachings. Immaculate Conception. Immaculate Conception. original sin. original sin. Mother of God. Theotokos. perpetual virginity. perpetual virginity of Mary. bodily assumption. Assumption of Mary. Heaven. Heaven ( Christianity ). The Catholic Church has influenced Western philosophy , science , art and culture , and from the Middle Ages until the Modern Age acted as the principal force of unity in the Western world .. Catholic. Catholicism. Western philosophy. Western philosophy. science. science. art. Western art. culture. Western culture. Middle Ages. Middle Ages. Modern Age. Modern Age. Western world. Western world. Catholic spiritual teaching includes spreading the Gospel while Catholic social teaching emphasises support for the sick , the poor and the afflicted through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy .. Catholic. Catholicism. Gospel. Gospel. Catholic social teaching. Catholic social teaching. corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Works of mercy. The Catholic Church is the largest non-government provider of education and medical services in the world .. Catholic. Catholicism. largest. List of Christian denominations by number of members. education. education. medical services. Health care. From the late 20th century , the Catholic Church has been criticised for its doctrines on sexuality , its refusal to ordain women and its handling of sexual abuse cases .. Catholic. Catholicism. doctrines. Theology ( Catholic Church ). criticised. Criticism of the Catholic Church. sexuality. Catholic teachings on sexual morality. ordain women. Catholic Church doctrine on the ordination of women. sexual abuse cases. Catholic Church sexual abuse cases