The Embassy of the Order of Malta to the Holy See, renewed in 2020-2021, is located in the splendid Casa Litta – Palazzo Orsini, in Teatro Marcello.

The Embassy is composed by:

• – H.E. Ambassador Antonio Zanardi Landi
• – Minister Counselor Alessandrojacopo Boncompagni Ludovisi
• – Counselor Eng. Luciano Gobbi
• – Counselor Mr. Alessandro Pompili
• – Counselor Mr. Fabrizio Di Amato
• – Ecclesiastic Counselor Msgr Marco Ceccarelli
• – Second Secretary Mrs. Sandra Benigno

Every year, in October, the Embassy celebrates the anniversary of Blessed Gerard, Patron of the Order, with a reception that gather togheter the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See and the Sovereign Order, Vatican personalities and Italian authorities.

Representatives/Ambassadors of the Order to the Holy See from 1405

In 1631 the Order settled permanently in the Magistral Palace, and there established the Embassy to the Holy See.

• FRA GIACOMO DEGLI OPICI,
  commendatore of S. Sepolcro of Fiorenza and Ambassador in Rome, Priorato of Venice, received in 1405
• FRA CURZIO ORSINI
  Capitular Bailiff Ambassador in Rome, Priory of Rome, received in 1464
• FRA GIUSEPPE CAMBIANO DEI SIGNORI DE RUFFIA (Piedmont)
  Bailiff of Venosa and Ambassador in Rome to Pius V, received on October 26, 1528
• FRA ANTONIO DI BOLOGNA (Palermo)
  Bailiff of S. Stefano and Ambassador resident in Rome, received August 9, 1532
• FRA GIULIO CESARE MALVICINO (Naples)
  Admiral Ambassador in Rome, received in January 1552
• FRA GIOVANNI BATTISTA RONDINELLI (Florence)
  Ambassador in Rome, received on September 26, 1561
• FRA GIULIO BECCARIA (Pavia)
  Ambassador in Rome, received in April 1562
• FRIAR SIGNORIO GATTINARA
• FRA NICOLÒ DELLA MARRA (Naples)
  Ambassador resident in Rome, Prior of Messina and General of the galleys, received on October 24, 1569

Ambassador resident in Rome, founder of the Commenda of Lomellino in Genoa, received April 27, 1577

• FRA CESARE FERRETTI (Ancona)
  Prior titular of England, Bailiff of S. Stefano, General of the galleys, Ambassador in Rome, received November 8, 1577
• FRA CARLO ALDOBRANDINI (Florence)
  Ambassador resident in Rome, received August 9, 1595
• FRA GIROLAMO ALTIERI (Rome)
  brother of Pope Clement X, Procurator of Ibernia, Ambassador of the Religion in Rome, received September 24, 1616
• FRA MARC’ANTONIO VEROSPI (Rome)
  Ambassador resident in Rome, received on May 16, 1637
• FRA GIOVANNI M. INNOCENZO CARAVITA (Naples)
  Ambassador in Rome, Grand Cross ad honores and Prior of Lombardy, received June 11, 1639
• FRA MARCELLO SACCHETTI (Florence)
  Ambassador in Rome, Prior of Lombardy, received June 29, 1645
• GIOVANNI BATTISTA SPINOLA
  Ambassador Extraordinary, in office from 1722 to 1724
• THEODORO ERMANNO DE SCHADE
  Ordinary and Extraordinary Ambassador, in office from 1724 to 1741
• JEAN-LOUIS GUÈRIN DE TENCIN
  Ambassador Extraordinary, in office from 1741 to 1749
• ANTONIO MAURIZIO SOLARO
  Prior of Lombardy, Bailiff of Breglio and Ambassador in Rome
• JACOBUS LAURUS LE TONNELIER
  Bailiff de Breteuil, Ambassador Extraordinary, in office from 5/12/1758 to 29/1/1771
• DE GUIRAN LABRILANNE
  Ambassador to Rome, in office from 1778 to 1789
• CAMILLO DE ROHAN
  Prince and Ambassador in Rome, in office from 1790 to 1799
• FRA NICOLA BUNACCORSI
  Charge d’affaires in Rome, Cav. Di Giustizia, Fra Balì Commendatore e Ricevitore, Priorato di Roma, received January 31, 1748, in office from 1799 to 1803
• FRA NICOLA BUZI
  Charge d’affaires in Rome, received on October 18, 1775, in office from 1803 to 1808
• FRA NICOLA BUNACCORSI
  Charge d’affaires in Rome, Cav. Di Giustizia, Fra Balì Commendatore e Ricevitore, Priorato di Roma, received January 31, 1748, in office from 1808 to 1819
• ANTONIO BUSSI
  Bailiff, Chargé d’affaires, Minister and Receiver in Rome, in office from 1819 and 1834

In the period between 1834 and 1930, following the transfer of the Order to the Magistral Palace in Via de’ Condotti, until then seat of the Embassy to the Holy See, it was considered that the Lieutenant or Grand Master could personally deal with relations with the Pontiff.
Therefore, the role of Ambassador was not fulfilled and the Embassy to the Holy See was considered vacant.
This was actually a de facto suspension and not a de jure one, and in 1930 the Order’s Legation to the Holy See was reactivated, with diplomatic privileges and immunities.

• H. E. CAV. D. LUIGI PIGNATELLI DELLA LEONESSA, Prince of Monteroduni, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Envoy (Credentials letter March 6, 1930)
• H. E. PRINCE RUFO VINCENZO RUFFO DELLA SCALETTA, Extraordinary Envoy and Plenipotentiary Minister (Credentials letter of February 5, 1931)
• H. E. THE COUNT STANISLAO PECCI, Extraordinary Envoy and Minister Plenipotentiary (Letter of Credence March 30, 1941)
• H. E. THE COUNT STANISLAO PECCI, Ambassador ad personam with the functions of Extraordinary Envoy and Plenipotentiary Minister (Letter of Credence dated March 30, 1941)
• H.E. THE BAILIFF CHRISTOPHE DE KALLAY, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Letter of Cred. March 16, 1983)
• H. E. STEFAN FALEZ, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Letter of Credence October 13, 1997)
• H. E. ALBERTO LEONCINI BARTOLI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Letter of Credence January 12, 2001)
• H. E. THE BAILIFF COUNT ANTONIO ZANARDI LANDI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Letter of Cred. September 2, 2016)