The President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, has sent a message of condolence after the passing of the Grand Master, Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre di Sanguinetto.

The text is here below:

IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT I LEARNT OF THE PASSING OF HIS MOST EMINENT HIGHNESS FRA’ GIACOMO DALLA TORRE DEL TEMPIO DI SANGUINETTO, 80TH PRINCE AND GRAND MASTER OF THE SOVEREIGN ORDER OF MALTA.

FAITHFUL WITNESS TO THE EVANGELICAL COUNSELS OF CHARITY AND TO TANGIBLE ASSISTANCE TO THOSE MOST IN NEED, FRA’ GIACOMO DEVOTED MANY YEARS TO SERVING THE ORDER OF MALTA. AS LIEUTENANT AND THEN AS GRAND MASTER HE REPRESENTED ITS HIGHEST IDEALS PROMOTING WITH GENUINE ZEAL THE ORDER’S WORK IN ALL THOSE AREAS MOST AFFECTED BY POVERTY, BY CONFLICTS AND BY MIGRATIONS.

EVEN IN THE FACE OF THE DRAMATIC AND RECENT SPREADING OF COVID-19, UNDER HIS WISE GUIDANCE THE ORDER WAS ABLE TO ACT WITH EXTRAORDINARY GENEROSITY AND RAPIDLY AND CONCRETELY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE MOST VULNERABLE ON A GLOBAL LEVEL.

WITH THESE SENTIMENTS OF DEEPEST APPRECIATION, I OFFER YOU AND TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE SOVEREIGN MILITARY ORDER OF MALTA THE MOST SINCERE AND HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES OF THE ITALIAN PEOPLE AND MY PERSONAL CONDOLENCE.

SERGIO MATTARELLA