The Church and the Bible confirm that the Church on Malta was established in 60AD by St. Publius after being told to do so by Saint Paul the Apostle;Wikipedia - Saint Publius (San Publju)Saint Publius (in Maltese, San Publju) is venerated as the first Bishop of Malta. Publius' conversion led to Malta being the first Christian nation in the West, and one of the first in the world.Wikipedia, Church in Malta - St. Publius the Martyr, is revered as Malta' first bishop. Following the arrival of St. Paul the apostle around 60 A.D., the islands started to embrace Christianity. This was all made more possible by the various miracles that took place at the time, the first of which being that of St. Publius' father. After his shipwreck, it is written in the Bible (Acts 28:1-12) that Paul was received with great hospitality by the Maltese. It so happened that at the time Publius, the Roman Governor of the islands, had his father nearing death by dysentery. Publius allowed Paul to visit his father. The apostle prayed upon the sick man and he was cured. This attracted the devotion of plenty of the Maltese who, despite being pagan at the time, approached the Apostle and received cure for their ailings. Paul's stay in Malta was for only 3 months. However, before his departure he assigned Publius the role of bishop of Malta to take care of the ever-increasing number of Christians. Today Publius is revered as the first Bishop of Malta and the first Maltese Saint, although he was not canonized individually but rather with all the characters of the Bible. Amongst the many chapels and churches in which one may find a portrait dedicated to this patron saint, one must not fail to mention the Floriana Parish Church. In fact, St. Publius is the patron saint of this locality and is esteemed with great devotion on the 22nd of January (liturgical feast) and on the second Sunday after Easter Sunday (outdoor feast). In the island of Gozo, St. Publius is also devoutly revered in the Chapel of Ghammar.Catholic Encyclopedia - Martyred bishop.The prefect of Malta, he was described in the Acts of the Apostles as the chief man of the island at the time when St. Paul, who was being taken to Rome, was shipwrecked on the isle. Paul cured Publius father of fever and dysentery, and Publius and Paul became good friends. According to tradition, Publius became the first bishop of Malta and also the first Saint of Malta, suffering martyrdom during the persecution of the Church under Emperor Hadrian.