Knights of Malta Archives

Pope again flexes papal muscle to keep tabs on cardinals
- Associated Press, Vatican
- June 16, 2017
Pope Francis has revived what has been called a “noble tradition” of asking cardinals to inform him when they leave town and where they’re going. This show of papal muscle comes after the pope wrote a letter asking for obedience to a rioting diocese in Nigeria and the tensions with the Knights of Malta.
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Knights of Malta vote for new leader after papal dispute
- Associated Press, Vatican
- April 29, 2017
The Knights of Malta have elected Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre with the title of lieutenant of the grand master. He most recently has been the grand prior in charge of the order’s Rome chapter. The election was necessary after the former Grand Master of the order, Fra’ Matthew Festing was forced to resign after a dispute with Pope Francis over the attempted ouster of an official of the order.
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Pope meets knights of Malta before order’s contested election
- Religion News Service, Vatican
- April 28, 2017
Just a few days before the Knights of Malta convene to elect a new leader, the former head of the order has returned to Rome defying the Vatican’s wishes. The former Grand Master, Matthew Festing, did not say if he would vote for himself, though in a recent plot twist the order confirmed that the new leader would only be temporary.
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Knights of Malta asked to elect temporary leader

In an email written by the leadership of the Knights of Malta the members were advised to consider electing a lieutenant who would temporarily take the reins of the order. The order’s relationship with the Vatican has been tough since Pope Francis requested that the grand chancellor resign his post.

Knights of Malta chief says it was Burke who asked official to resign

In an interview with an Austrian newspaper, the acting head of the Order of Malta has described being present at the meeting where the Grand Chancellor was asked to resign — and that it was American Cardinal Raymond Burke, not the Grand Master, who made the request.