The following is the Holy Father’s letter, dated 2 February, to Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu, substitute for General Affairs of the Secretary of State:

As we embark on the path of preparation in view of the extraordinary Chapter that will elect the new Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, I hereby appoint you on today’s date as my special Delegate at this meritorious Order. You shall work in close collaboration with His Excellency the Venerable Bailiff Fra’ Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein, Lieutenant ad interim, for the greater good of the Order and the reconciliation of all its members, both religious and laypersons. You shall accompany and support the Lieutenant in the preparation of the extraordinary Chapter, and together you shall decide on the methods for a study with a view to the timely renovation of the Constitutional Charter of the Order and of the Melitense Statute.

In particular, you shall take care of all matters relating to the spiritual and moral renewal of the Order, especially the professed Members, so as to fulfil the purpose of “the promotion of the glory of God through the sanctification of its Members, service to the faith and to the Holy Father, and assistance to one’s neighbours”, as set forth in the Constitutional Charter.

Until the termination of your mandate, that is, up to the conclusion of the extraordinary Chapter which shall elect the Grand Master, you shall be my exclusive spokesman in all matters regarding the relations between this Apostolic See and the Order. I therefore delegate to you all the powers necessary to decide on any eventual issues that may arise with regard to the implementation of the mandate entrusted to you.

Thanking you for your willingness to undertake this office, I assure you of my prayer and I impart to you my heartfelt apostolic blessing, which I willingly extend to all the members of the Order.