Order of St John of Jerusalem of
Rhodes and of Malta
Dear Brothers and Sisters. With deep sadness I join His Eminence the Cardinal Camerlengo, who will be at the helm of the barque of St. Peter until the election of the new Pontiff, in announcing the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, who the Lord has called to himself after long years of tireless service to the Church and to all humanity. His witness of faith, his dedication to the weakest, his unceasing appeal for mercy and peace have profoundly marked our era and will continue to illuminate the path of the Church.
A wonderful and unexpected meeting between a 95-year-old cloistered Sister and the Holy Father took place on Sunday, 6 April, in San Pietro. Francesca Battiloro, Sister of the Order of the Visitation of Santa Maria (the "Visitandine") who entered the convent at the age of 7 years thanks to a special dispensation and then take vows at 17, had expressed the desire to be able to cross the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica, arriving on pilgrimage from Naples, the city where she lives, to Rome.
Saturday 5 April, on the occasion of the Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers, the Embassy of the Order of Malta to the Holy See and the Embassy of France to the Holy See, in collaboration with the Pieux Établissements de France à Rome et Lorette, and with the Presidency of the Hospital, have organized a Concert of the Cappella Ludovicea, addressed to hospitalized patients and their families and to Health Workers, in the marquee made available for the occasion by the Hospital.
The Magistral Villa of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, on the Aventine, hosted a meeting organised in cooperation between the Order of Malta and the Movement "Rinnovamento nello Spirito", together with the "AnimAzione" Association.
The Order of Malta’s Centre for the social and professional integration of young adults with disabilities has been inaugurated in the Capital. Ambassador Antonio Zanardi Landi underlines to the Vatican media the importance of the project in view of the Jubilee. The premises granted in use by the Grand Priory have been blessed by Card. Ghirlanda.
The annual reception offered by the Ambassador of the Order of Malta to the Holy See on the occasion of the Feast of Blessed Gerardo, Founder of the Order of Malta, this year took place in the Magistral Villa at the Aventino on October the 10th.
A debate organized in collaboration by MAIRE Foundation and the Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to the Holy See took place at Casa Litta-Palazzo Orsini, focusing on the theme of the Holy Father’s encyclical "Laudato Sì".
After the restoration of Casa Litta - Palazzo Orsini at Teatro Marcello, the Embassy itself has resumed its activities hosting an increasing number of events and donating the resulting contributions to the direct support of a number of charitable and assistance works.
The Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Fra’ John Dunlap, and his Delegation were received in audience this morning at the Vatican by Pope Francis