Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, elected Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta yesterday, has sworn his oath of office today in the Church of Santa Maria in Aventino, before the Council Complete of State (the elective body of the Order of Malta) and Archbishop Angelo Becciu, the Pope’s Special Delegate. The Grand Master is elected for life.

After the oath, the Grand Commander, Fra’ Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein conferred the collar of Grand Master and thereafter the Grand Chancellor Albrecht Boeselager declared the Council Complete of State dissolved. A solemn mass was celebrated by Archbishop Becciu and the flag of Grand Master was raised at the top of the Magistral Villa at the end of the ceremony.

For the first time in the history of the Order of Malta two women, Presidents of Associations, including one from Asia, took part in the Council Complete of State.

Tomorrow Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre will leave for Lourdes to participate in the 60th international pilgrimage of the Order of Malta.