This morning, the Lieutenant of the Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Fra’ John T. Dunlap, conferred the insignia of Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion on Cardinal Fernando Vérges Alzaga, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

After the conferral of the insignia, Cardinal Vérges Alzaga celebrated Holy Mass in the chapel of the Magistral Palace in Rome with Msgr. Jean Laffitte, Prelate of the Order of Malta.

The ceremony was attended by Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi, the Holy Father’s Special Delegate to the Order of Malta, Grand Commander Fra’ Emmanuel Rousseau, Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, Grand Hospitaller Fra’ Alessandro de Franciscis, Receiver of the Common Treasure Fabrizio Colonna, other members of the Sovereign Council and of the Order of Malta’s Embassy to the Holy See. Also present was Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

Cardinal Fernando Vérges Alzaga is Spanish and has been a chaplain of the Ordre de Malte France since 2015.