Malta’s cloistered communities are facing a dramatic decline

St Ursula’s Monastery in Valletta. Photos: Chris Sant Fournier

Female cloistered communities in Malta’s five monasteries have dwindled by an average 62% over the last 30 years, according to a study on cultural heritage management.The drop is based on statistics collected between 1992 and 2022 and suggests an “elevated” rate of decline for these traditional forms of religious life, according to researcher Daniela Apap...