The Extraordinary Chapter General, presided over by the Lieutenant of the Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap and Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi, Special Delegate of the Pope, elected all the members of the Sovereign Council, who will remain in office for six years.

After electing the Grand Commander Fra’ Emmanuel Rousseau, Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, Grand Hospitaller Fra’ Alessandro de Franciscis and the Receiver of the Common Treasure Fabrizio Colonna, the following were elected Councillors of the Sovereign Council: Fra’ Roberto Viazzo, Fra’ Richard J. Wolff, Fra’ John Eidinow, Fra’ Mathieu Dupont, Fra’ João Augusto Esquivel Freire de Andrade, Francis Joseph McCarthy, Michael Grace, Clemente Riva di Sanseverino, Josef Blotz.

At the end of the election, the members of the Sovereign Council took the oath and are therefore in the fullness of their powers.

The Lieutenant of the Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap expressed his satisfaction at the conclusion of the work: “I am certain that the new Sovereign Council will prove to be strategic in addressing the great medical, social, humanitarian and spiritual challenges we face in the 120 countries in which we operate. My best wishes to the newly elected members for the success of their important task in the service of the Order of Malta’s mission”.

The Extraordinary Chapter General was attended by 111 members of the Order of Malta from five continents.

On Monday 30 January the Lieutenant of the Grand Master, the Special Delegate, together with the new Sovereign Council and the capitulars will be received in audience at the Vatican by Pope Francis.