Today Archbishop Silvano Maria Tomasi visited the Sovereign Order of Malta’s Lieutenant ad interim Fra’ Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas-Boas.  The meeting at the Magistral Palace – seat of the Order of Malta’s government in Rome – was held in an atmosphere of great cordiality. Pope Francis appointed Monsignor Tomasi as Special Delegate to the Sovereign Order of Malta on 1 November last.

Archbishop Tomasi, former Permanent Observer to the United Nations and an official in the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, will be created cardinal in the next Consistory convened by Pope Francis for 28 November.

Today’s meeting precedes the Council Complete of State called for 7 and 8 November next to elect the Grand Master, or Lieutenant of the Grand Master, of the Sovereign Order of Malta. After the election, the Cardinal designate Silvano Maria Tomasi will witness the oath of the successor to Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre as head of the Order of Malta.