Knights of Malta elect Englishman as new grand master

Published: 2008-03-11

ROME (CNS) -- In a secret and swift election, the Knights of Malta elected an Englishman as their 79th grand master. Matthew Festing, who had been the Knights' grand prior of England, was chosen March 11 to replace Andrew W.N. Bertie, who died in February. Festing, 59, will head the world's oldest chivalric order, founded in the 11th century. He is only the second Englishman to hold the post of grand master; Bertie was the first. Known officially as the Sovereign Military Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, the organization was established to care for pilgrims during the Crusades. It lives on today as a lay Catholic religious order and a worldwide humanitarian network. The order is also a sovereign state, holding observer status at the United Nations and maintaining diplomatic relations with 100 countries. Festing, an expert in art and history, joined the Knights in 1977 and in 1991 became a "professed" knight, taking religious vows. He is a descendent of Blessed Adrian Fortescue, a Knight of Malta who was martyred in the 16th century.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .