Page 22 - DIVA_2_2008_No.33

TUITIO FIDEI ET OBSEQUIUM PAUPERUM

900 YEARS IN THE SERVICE OF MANKIND

Interview with Marie-Th6rese Pictet-Althann,
Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the

r Sovereign Military Order of Malta

On the list of obser- l'iowcrful fleet tl'iat
vers to the United defended the Easteni
Nations you will find Meditei'ranean, figliting
many famous battles.
the Order of Malta.
Although the name They remained in
Rl'iodes until Sultan
might seem familiar,
not a lot of people Suleiinan the
Magi'iificent defeated
know about this
tliein; they were forced
institution. Being
to sru'render iiy 1523 axid
curious, we went
left Rliodes witl'i
knocking on their
door. We were recei- inilitaiy honorns.
ved cordially by Mrs
There was a period
Marie- Th6rese
dning wliicli they were
Picte t-A 1th a n n
Ambassador of the withorit a
territoiy, ruitil Emperor
Order of Malta here
Charles V graiited tliem
in Geneva.
the island of Malta, witli
tl'ie approval of Pope
Ms Ambassador is a
former UNHCR staff Clement VII. It was
member, and then established that the
Order sliould ren'iain
an Ambassadress
neutral in any war bet-
for more than fifteen
years. Today she is the The birth of the Order dates ween Clxistian nations,
Ambassador of the Order back to around 1048. It all brit that it shorild defend
of Malta to the United began in Jei'iisalem where Ci'istianity. One of the Grand
Nations and the internatio- n'ionks staited a liospitaller to Masters was Fra' Jean de la
nal organizations in care for pilgriins of any Vallette, after wliom tl'ie capital
Geneva, a position she has religious faitli orrace. Later,this of Malta, Valletta, was named.
held now since 2005. religioris order was, recognized Tliis bearitifiil islaiid as we see it
by tlie Pope-tlie Order of St. today was built by tlie Order,
Mrs Ambassador is a John of Jenisalem. The witli its castles, chrirclies, l'iospi-
dynamJc woman; not only constitution of tlie Kiiigdom of tals and many cultural buil-
is she the Ambassador of Jerusalem regarding tlie dings. They also established a
the Order of Malta, but she cnisades obliged tl'ie Order to n'iedical university, wliicb at tliat
is also the Vice-President take on the militaiy defence of time acliieved world-wide
of the newly re-launched the sick, tl'ie pilgrii'i'is and the renown.
Diplomatic Club in teiritoiies tliat tlie cnisaders liad
Geneva, and the founding conquered fron'i tlie Moslen'is. Tlie Order remaiiied in Malta
President of the Geneva Tlie Order tlius added tlie task of rnitil Napoleon, in 1798 on liis
Diplomatic Spouses' defendiiig the faitl'i to that of its way to Egypt, caphired the
Circle, which she started in liospital inission. ishmd aiid, since l'ie was a
1999 under the aegis of the fellow Christian, the Order
Foundation for Geneva. Wben the Cl'iristians lost COllkl not defend itself-so tlie
Impressive? Yes indeed, Jei'usalem, the I(iughts of St I<niglits were forced to leave
and it's all voluntary work Jol'ui moved first to Cypius and Malta. Tl'ie Order moved to Italy
... So now we leave the tl'ien iii 1310 to tl'ie island of and very soon to Rome wliere it
floor to Mrs Ambassador Rhodes. In Rliodes tlie has been establislied since 1834,
defence of tlie Christian world wliere it owns, with extra-
Q: Could you tell us about reqriired the orgaiiation of a tei'ritorial stahis, tlie Magistral
the Order of Malta naval force, so tlie Order bxiilt a Palace iii Via Condotti 68 and

20 2 2008 Diva

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