Pope to felicitate Order of Malta on 900 years

February 8, 2013 - Some 4000 members and volunteers of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta are expected to be in Rome on Saturday, to meet Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of 900 years of their existence. The Order of Malta that is engaged in serving the needy around the globe, was declared a sovereign entity on Feb. 15, 1113, by Pope Paschal II, granting it independence from both religious and secular authorities and placing it under the protection of the Holy See, formalizing its spiritual and institutional identity. Members and volunteers of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from all over the world will attend a Mass Saturday morning, celebrated by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, in St. Peter’s Basilica, following which Pope Benedict will meet them. Among the Order’s leadership who will be present at the Mass will be the Grand Master, Fra' Matthew Festing, as well as numerous Italian and foreign authorities and around 170 ambassadors and diplomats. Saturday’s event was preceded by a 2-day international conference in Rome on the themes of spirituality, communications and diplomacy.