The 126th anniversary of the founding of the Sovereign Order of Malta’s Italian Military Corps was celebrated on June 14th at the Cecchignola Military Base.

During the celebrations the Commander in Chief of the Italian Army, Lieutenant General Gianfranco Ottogalli, bestowed the Red Cross Gold Medal upon the Flag of the Military Corps in recognition of its activities in support of the victims of natural disasters. This is the third decoration awarded the Military Corps, who in 2001 received both the Army’s Gold Medal of Honor and the Gold Medal for Civil Service.

In the presence of the Grand Master, Fra’ Andrew Bertie, and the Commander General of the Italian Carabinieri, the Maria Pia Fanfani International ‘Together for Peace’ Foundation awarded its Building Peace Prize to the Military Corps for their humanitarian works. After speeches by Lieutenant General Mario Prato di Pamparato and Lieutenant General Gianfranco Ottogalli, Mass was celebrated at the request of the President of the Abruzzo Region, in recognition of the support the Corps was able to give to the victims of the earthquakes in Molise and Puglia. Music was provided by the Choir of the Solisti Aquilani.

After the ceremony the Military Corps’ emergency response facilities were opened for inspection, including the very modern field hospital, with its operating room and intensive care unit.