The Prince and Grand Master replies to His Holiness John Paul II Message for Peace addressed to humanity.

The Great Jubilee of 2000 calls on the Order to consolidate its communion with Christ who in His great mercy wanted to enter history by becoming a pilgrim with mortals. The Order, in perfect harmony with the church, will endeavour in its work to follow the example of Christ…

Two thousand Knights of Malta from all over the world gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica on 24th June, the feast day of their patron saint, St. John the Baptist. A highly significant moment during celebrations of the Order’s Ninth Centenary, solemnly opened last December in Malta in occasion of an international gathering announced by H.M.E.H. the Prince and Grand Master, Fra’ Andrew Bertie.

The Holy Father’s Greeting (from the window of his study) to the Knights and Dames of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta present in St. Peter’s Square Thursday 24 June 1999

The feast of St. John the Baptist, our Holy Patron, in the year in which we celebrate nine centuries of the Order’s life, is the most propitious occasion not only for recalling the long journey we have made but also to outline the commitments we feel we should make for the Third Millennium.