The Sovereign Order of Malta is a sovereign subject of international law. The Order's life is governed by the Constitutional Charter and the Code, reformed in 1997.
The Order has its own Government, an independent magistracy, bilateral diplomatic relations with 90 countries and is granted the status of Permanent Observer in many international organizations, such as the United Nations. The Order issues its own passports and stamps and creates public institutions.
The Grand Master governs the Order with the assistance of the Sovereign Council, presided over by himself and composed of the four High Officers. These are the Grand Commander, the Grand Chancellor, the Grand Hospitaller, the Receiver of the Common Treasure, as well as six other members elected by the General Chapter. The holders of these offices are chosen from among the professed Knights and the Knights in Obedience.

The legal system of the Order is expressed by the usual division into three powers:

- legislative power rests with the Chapter General, representing the Supreme Assembly of Knights, as far as constitutional rules are concerned, and with the Grand Master and Sovereign Council for non-constitutional matters;

- executive power rests with the Sovereign Council, chaired by the Grand Master and composed of 10 Knights elected by the Chapter General;

- judicial power is exercised by the Magisterial Courts of First Instance and of Appeal, composed of judges appointed by the Grand Master and the Sovereign Council from Order members of legal expertise.

The 10,000 Knights of the Order are divided into three Classes. They must abide by the precepts dictated by the Church and are required to participate in the humanitarian assistance activities of the Order.

The Order is based in Rome in via Condotti 68. Its operational activities are managed by the six Grand Priories, three Subpriories and 45 National Associations of Knights in the five continents.

Grand Master

The Prince and Grand Master

The Grand Master is elected for life from the Professed Knights by the Council Complete of State. According to the Constitution, as the religious Superior and Sovereign, he must dedicate himself completely to enhancing the Order's works and be an example of religious conformity for all members. He is vested with supreme authorities. Together with the Sovereign Council, the Grand Master issues the legislative measures not covered by the Constitutional Charter, promulgates government acts, manages Common Treasure assets, informs the Holy See of the Order's needs, ratifies, with the deciding vote of the Sovereign Council, international agreements and the summoning of the Chapter General.

The States with which the Order has diplomatic relations recognize the Grand Master as the Supreme Head of the Order, with the prerogatives, immunities, privileges and honours reserved for Heads of State. He is bestowed the title of Most Eminent Highness, and the Holy Roman Church confers him the rank of Cardinal.

The Grand Master resides at the seat of the Order in Rome, Via Condotti 68.

Profile of His Most Eminent Highness the Prince and Grand Master,
Fra' Andrew BERTIE

Frà Andrew Willoughby Ninian BERTIE was born on May 15, 1929 in London. He is related to the Earl of Lindsey (an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom in Northern England) and Abingdon. He was educated at the Benedictine School, Ampleforth College, in Yorkshire, and graduated in Modern History at Christ Church, Oxford. He also attended the Institute of African and Oriental Studies of the London University.
From 1948 to 1950 he carried out military service in the Scots Guards, obtaining the rank of officer in 1949.
After a short experience in the commercial sector, he taught Modern Languages (particularly French and Spanish) for 23 years at Worth School, the Sussex Benedictine high school.
He was admitted to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1956; took Perpetual Vows and in 1981 he became a Religious member. He has contributed to the government of the Order since 1981 as a member of the Sovereign Council and in April 1988 he was elected the 78th Grand Master. He is Hospitaller of the Sanctuary of Lourdes.

His hobbies are gardening and swimming. He is a judo black belt and former fencer.

His father, the Hon. James Bertie, was an officer in the regular forces of the Royal British Navy in both World Wars and was seriously wounded in Bari in 1944. He died in 1966. His mother, Lady Jean Crichton-Stuart, was the youngest daughter of the fourth Marquis of Bute. She died in 1995.



 

Grand Commander

The Grand Commander is the religious superior of the Professed Knights and of the Knights and Dames in Obedience. His duties include: spreading the principles of Faith, supervising Priories and Subpriories and compiling visitational reports to be sent to the Holy See on the state and life of the Order.

He sees to the religious aspects of the activities of Professed Knights and Knights in Obedience.
In particular he is in charge of instructing the members of the Sovereign Order in the fulfillment of the principles of Tuitio Fidei e Obsequium Pauperum.

The Grand Commander also takes care of the Magisterial Palace Chapel and the organization of pilgrimages. He acts as Interim Lieutenant in case of the death, resignation from office or permanent incapacity of the Grand Master.

Profile of the Grand Commander
H.E. the Venerable Bailiff
Fra' Ludwig HOFFMANN von RUMERSTEIN

Born in Innsbruck on January 21, 1937.

His family lived in South Tyrol and Trentino until World War I (1914).

He studied in Innsbruck at the Faculty of Law, and graduated in the spring of 1962. Then he studied philosophy for one year at the Università Gregoriana in Rome.

After military service, he trained as Attorney at Law, a profession which he has practiced since 1970 in Innsbruck.

In 1968 he was one of the founders of Malteser Hilfedienst in North Tyrol, the Austrian volunteers of the Order, and of Malteser Hospitaldienst Austria (MHDA). Between 1971 and 1979 he led the Innsbruck group of volunteers, and between 1977 and 1979 he was Vice-Commander. From 1979 he has been on the board of directors of MHDA.

For the last four years he has been in charge of the MHDA hospital train for the pilgrimages to Lourdes.

He entered the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1970, becoming a Professed Knight in 1984. He was elected member of the Sovereign council by the Chapter General of 1984; he took his perpetual vows in 1988, and was appointed Grand Commander of the Order by the Chapter General of 1994.

Grand Chancellor

The Grand Chancellor, whose office includes the offices of the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is at the head of the Chancellery and its related offices. He is responsible for Foreign Affairs, the Associations and matters concerning members of the Third Class. His duties include the representation of the Order with third parties, the conduct of policy and the internal administration of the Order (without prejudice to the competencies of the other High Officers), the preparation and dispatch of the acts of government, countersigning the Grand Master's decrees, the arrangement, examination and presentation of subjects to be treated in the Sovereign Council. The Grand Chancellor is also in charge of diplomatic representation.

Profile of the Pro-Grand Chancellor
H.E. the Count Jacques de Liedekerke,
Knight of Honour and Devotion

He is a Belgian lawyer. He has founded and managed an international legal studio in Brussels and in Anvers.

He became part of the Sovereign Order of Malta in 1985. He has been a member of the Government Council of the Order and represented the Order with the Belgian government.

Count Jacques de Liedekerke took over the office of Chancellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta from Count Carlo Marullo di Condojanni, Prince of Casalnuovo, beginning 1st January 2002.

Grand Hospitaller

The Grand Hospitaller's office includes the offices of Minister of Health and of Social Affairs, Minister for Humanitarian Action and Minister for International Co-operation. He co-ordinates and supervises the initiatives of Grand Priories and National Associations and other Order institutions world-wide involved in charitable and humanitarian actions, and ensures that Christian principles are respected.
The Grand Hospitaller is assisted by a Council composed of representatives of the various territorial regions where the Order operates.

Profile of the Grand Hospitaller
H. E. Albrecht Freiherr von BOESELAGER,
Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion in Obedience

He was born on October 4, 1949 in Kreuzberg/Ahr near Bonn; he is married, and has 5 children.

He was educated in Bonn at the Jesuit college Aloisiuskolleg and graduated in Law in 1974 after studies in Bonn, Geneva and Freiburg.

From 1968 to 1970 he served in the military force as reserve lieutenant.

From 1976 to 1990 he worked as a professional lawyer.

He was admitted to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1976, and in 1985 became a Knight in Obedience.

Since 1982 he has been the Chancellor of the German Association of the Order. Since the same year he has also been a member of the Executive Committee of the German Association's Ambulance Corps (Malteser Hilfsdienst).

He was elected member of the Sovereign Council of the Order of Malta as Grand Hospitaller in 1989, and was re-elected in 1994 and 1999.

He has been a member of the Papal Council of the Pastoral for Health-Care Operators since 1990 and in the Pontificium Consilium Cor Unum since 1994.

Receiver of the Common Treasure

The Receiver of the Common Treasure - who is the Minister of Finance and Budget - directs the administration of the finances and the property of the Order in co-ordination with the Grand Chancellor, under the authority of the Grand Master and the surveillance of the Board of Auditors.
He is responsible for drawing up the annual accounts, budgeted and actual, relating to the economic and financial state of the Order, submitting them to the Board of Auditors and to the Grand Master for approval with the advice of the Sovereign Council.
With the advice of the Sovereign Council, he also submits the acceptance of inheritances, bequests and donations, and the disposal and subsequent reinvestment of the goods of the Order to the Grand Master for approval.
He manages and supervises the Magisterial Post Service and, through the Secretary General, the internal services of the Magisterial household, in particular the Office of Personnel of the Grand Magistry, the Office of Technical Services and the superintendence of the Magisterial Palace and other buildings.
With the mandate of the Grand Master, the Receiver also supervises the administration of the organizations and work of the Order. He must countersign acts of disposal or assignment and contracts which involve the property of the Grand Magistry and the Priories.

Profile of the Receiver of the Common Treasure
H.E. the Marchese Gian Luca CHIAVARI Patrician Genoese,
Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion in Obedience

He was born in Rome on January 11, 1935, to H.E the Ambassador to the Italian Republic Marchese Gian Gerolamo Chiavari and Marchesa Laura Pallavicino. Married to Marchesa Elena Cattaneo della Volta di Belforte, Dame of Honour and Devotion in Obedience of the Order of Malta, he has three children: Fabiano, Violantina and Giacomo.

He graduated with honours in Business Administration at the University of Genova and was the Italian delegate to the International Associations of Students of Business Administration.

He served in the military as Officer of the Cavalry Regiment of Genova.

Until 1994 he was a member of the Executive Committee of the Shell Group in Italy and has worked for many years abroad with the Shell Group.

He was admitted to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1979, took the vow of Obedience in 1983 and was bestowed the Grand Cross in 1996. He was elected Receiver of the Common Treasure by the Chapter General on June 22, 1999.

He is Vice President of the Pilgrimages of the Italian Language and Director in the Magisterial Committee for Pilgrimages to Lourdes. He has also been Director of ACISMOM and member of the Council for Communications of the Order.

He is Vice President of the Corps of Italian Nobility and President emeritus of the Association of Nobles of Liguria.

Government Bodies

Council Complete of State

The Council Complete of State meets to elect the Grand Master or the Lieutenant of the Grand Master. The election of the Grand Master requires a majority plus one of those present entitled to vote, as provided for in Art. 23 of the Constitutional Charter. Among the holders of voting rights are the Lieutenant of the Grand Master or Interim Lieutenant, the members of the Sovereign Council, the Prelate, the Priors, the professed Bailiffs, two professed Knights delegated by each Priory and fifteen representatives of the National Associations.

Chapter General

The Chapter General represents the Supreme Assembly of Knights and meets every five years to elect the members of the Sovereign Council, the Government Council and the Board of Auditors, to amend the Constitutional Charter and Code as appropriate and to discuss important issues such as spiritual status, the humanitarian activities programme and international relations of the Order. It is composed, among others, of representatives of Order bodies in the world: Grand Priories, Subpriories and National Associations.

Sovereign Council

The Sovereign Council is the government of the Order. It is composed of the Grand Master, the holders of the four High Offices (Grand Commander, Grand Chancellor, Grand Hospitaller and Receiver of the Common Treasure) and six other members. Apart from the Grand Master, they are elected by the Chapter General, by a majority of the Knights present. The Sovereign Council is called by the Grand Master and meets at the seat of the Order at least six times a year and whenever special circumstances require it.
The other six members of the Sovereign Council are:
H.E. Fra' Carl E. PAAR
H.E. Fra' Carlo ARDITI di CASTELVETERE
H.E. Fra' John Alexander MacPHERSON
H.E. Fra' Giacomo DALLA TORRE del TEMPIO di SANGUINETTO
H.E. Richard J.DUNN
H.E. Jean Pierre MAZERY

Government Council

This is the advisory board to the Sovereign Council in charge of studying political, religious, humanitarian assistance and international issues. It is convened and chaired by the Grand Master and is composed of six Chancellors from various geographical regions elected by the Chapter General among Knights in the three Classes of the Order. It meets at least twice a year.

Board of Auditors

Is in charge of overseeing and auditing the income, the expenditures and all the assets of the Order. It consists of a President, four ordinary Chancellors and two alternates, elected by the Chapter General, from amongst Knights with particular expertise in legal, economic and financial disciplines. It also serves as an advisory board of the Receiver of the Common Treasure.

Communications Board

The Communication Board supervises the internal and external communication activities of the Order and assists the Grand Chancellor in the development and implementation of communication programmes. It is composed of a President and six Chancellors chosen from members of the Order, competent in various sectors of communication, management, public relations and mass-media.

Juridical Council

This is an expert advisory collegial body that may advise the Grand Master, subject to consultation with the Sovereign Council, on relevant legal issues. It meets at the seat of the Order and is composed of a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary General and four members.
These are appointed by the Grand Master with the advice of the Sovereign Council ideally from members of the Order, and are law experts, particularly in Order Law, public and international law and Canon Law.

Magisterial Courts

Pursuant to the Code, the Magisterial Courts exercise the jurisdictional function of court of first resort and of appeal. The Presidents of the Court, the Justices and the Chancellor are appointed by the Grand Master, with the deciding vote of the Sovereign Council, among Order members with legal expertise. Trial procedures, except for directives set forth by the Code, are subject to the rules of civil procedure of the State of the Vatican City. Upon written request of States or international law entities, the Magisterial Courts may also act as an arbitration venue for international controversies.

The Office of Advocate General

The Office of Advocate General provides legal assistance pursuant to the Code and is made up of independent members of the legal profession of eminent repute who are experts in law and versed in the traditions and customs of the Order. It is composed of the Advocate General and two alternates who are appointed by the Grand Master with the Sovereign Council for a period of three years renewable. The organizations of the Order should seek the advice and the assistance of the Office of the Advocate General whenever necessary and especially in cases which involve complex legal issue.

The Order of Malta is one of the few Orders created in the Middle Ages and still active today. It is also the only one that is at the same time religious and sovereign. This is due to the fact that most of the other Orders of chivalry lacked the hospitaller function which characterizes the Order of Malta, so they disappeared as soon as the military purposes that represented the reasons for their existence ceased.

The knighthood nature explains and justifies the maintenance of the noble nature of the Order, as most of its Religious Knights came from chivalrous and noble Christian families. Today the majority of Knights belong to all classes of society. The members of the Order may be defined as Catholics enlivened by altruistic nobleness of spirit and behavior. All Knights must meet the traditional requirement for the bestowing of knighthood: distinguish themselves for special virtues. The knighthood nature of the Order has kept its moral value, characterized by the spirit of service, sacrifice and discipline of today's Knights. Battles are no longer fought with swords, but with the peaceful tools of the fight against disease, poverty, social isolation and intolerance, as well as the defense and promotion of the faith.

All the 10,000 Knights and Dames of the Order, whether professed friars or lay members, are devoted to the exercise of Christian virtue and charity, and committed to achieving their spiritual perfection within the Church and to expending their energies caring for others.

The three Classes

According to the Constitutional Charter, the members of the Order are divided into three Classes. The members are to conduct their lives in an exemplary manner in conformity with the teachings and precepts of the Church and to devote themselves to the humanitarian assistance activities of the Order.

Members of the First Class are Knights of Justice, or Professed Knights, and the Professed Conventual Chaplains, who have made vows of "poverty, chastity and obedience aspiring to perfection according to the Gospel". They are religious for all purposes of Canon Law but are not obliged to live in community.

The members of the Second Class, by virtue of the Promise of Obedience, are committed to living according to Christian principles and the inspiring principles of the Order. They are subdivided into three categories:

- Knights and Dames of Honour and Devotion in Obedience
- Knights and Dames of Grace and Devotion in Obedience
- Knights and Dames of Magistral Grace in Obedience

The Third Class consists of lay members who do not profess religious vows or the Promise, but who live according to the principles of the Church and the Order. They are divided into six categories:

- Knights and Dames of Honour and Devotion
- Conventual Chaplains ad honorem
- Knights and Dames of Grace and Devotion
- Magistral Chaplains
- Knights and Dames of Magistral Grace
- Donats (male and female) of Devotion

The requisites for admission to the various classes and categories are determined by the Code.