(Rivista Internazionale - December 1997: Holy See Credentials - 1/1)
Holy See
Holy See Credentials
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Rome. The Vatican. The Supreme Pontiff, H.H. John Paul II, with the Ambassador from the Order to the Holy See, Mr. Stefan Falez, during the Solemn Audience for presenting his Letters of Credence. |
The Supreme Pontiff, His Holiness John Paul II received in solemn audience on 13 October
the new ambassador from the Sovereign Order to the Holy See, His Excellency Stefan Falez,
for the presentation of his Letters of Credence.
Replying to the greetings of the Order's
Ambassador, the Holy Father stressed that the Order of Malta, with its special physiognomy
"stands out for its supranational, religious and charitable nature" and as a "subject of
international law it maintains diplomatic relations with numerous States and organisations"
including the Holy See which has "profound ties with the Order dating back to the beginning
of the second millennium, when it was created in Jerusalem as the Hospitaller Order of
St. John."
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Rome. The Vatican. The Holy Father, John Paul II, with the Order's Ambassador, Mr. Stefan Falez. On his right, Prince Paolo Francesco Boncompagni Ludovisi and beside him, Msgr. Erich Salzmann and Knight Willy Eigenmann. |
Ties which find particular support in the aims of the Order: "characterising
itself over the centuries for its defence of the faith, often up to the supreme test, and
for its charitable work for pilgrims, the sick and every other form of needy humanity.
A truly noble aim, which finds admirable confirmation in all the Order's history".
In entrusting ideally to all the members of the Order of Malta the Catechism of the Catholic
Church, in the recently published edition in Latin, the Pope stressed that "the defence of
the faith, today mainly expressed by testifying to Christian truths through word and example,
to be professed with courage and firmness", often means, especially in our times, defending
the great values which human reason risks not grasping in their entirety and essentiality
without the light of Revelation. For example, the dignity of human beings, the nature of the
family and the fundamental right of
life.
"I urge the entire Order", continued the Pope, "to continue to support with generosity
these ideological battles which underpin the civilisation of the third millennium", and "all
those initiatives which the Church is undertaking to protect the rights of everyone, starting
with the weakest" John Paul II finally expressed his "grateful appreciation for what the Order
has already done and the most fervent good wishes for what it is planning to do to assist
pilgrims" during the Jubilee of 2000 and the "felicitous coincidence" of the ninth centenary
of the Order in 1999.
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