Malta claims to be the historical Melita that is mentioned in the biblical book the Acts of the Apostles.
Acts of the Apostles ( Πράξεις τῶν Ἀποστόλων , Práxeis tôn Apostólōn ; Actūs Apostolōrum ) , often referred to simply as Acts , is the fifth book of the New Testament ; it tells of the founding of the Christian church and the spread of its message to the Roman Empire . Malta ( [ ˈmɒltə ] [ ˈmɐltɐ ] ) , officially known as the Republic of Malta ( Repubblika ta ' Malta ) , is a Southern European island country consisting of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea . Malta has a long Christian legacy and its Archdiocese of Malta is claimed to be an apostolic see because , according to Acts of the Apostles , St Paul was shipwrecked on `` Melita '' , now widely taken to be Malta .