Pope Francis has met with the head of the Knights of Malta, Marco Luzzago.
He gave the Pope a medal depicting Blessed Gerard Sasso, the Benedictine brother who founded the Order in 1048.
-'This is Blessed Gerard, our founder'.
-'Thank you'.
In return, the Pope gave him a handcrafted carving of St. Peter's Basilica.
For me? Personally? Well, what an honor.
The Knights of Malta is a Catholic lay religious order whose 80,000 volunteers provide medical care in over 120 countries in the world.
The Pope meets with the head of the Knights of Malta every year, usually close to the feast day of St. John the Baptist, the Order's’ patron saint.
After praying a Hail Mary together, he took the opportunity to thank them for their work.
Thank you for the work you all are doing. Go forth to bring strength to others.
The Knights of Malta is a soverign entity which maintains diplomatic relations with countries around the world, and even issues its own passports.
JM
